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Enzymes caught in the act

A protein that is not functioning the way it should could be the catalyst for an array of medical conditions like cancer and autoimmune diseases. So it makes sense that identifying and understanding what’s wrong with the protein can help develop treatments.

A recent study published in PNAS produced a breakthrough image of a powerful enzyme (a type of protein) involved in the body’s immune response that may offer a key route to how we treat these diseases.

The research team used cryo-electron microscopy, kind of like a camera for things at the molecular level, to look at the structure of ADAM17. This protein behaves like a pair of molecular scissors, removing other proteins off the cell to send important signals. ADAM17 needs a helper protein called iRhom2 to maintain stability and act as an action guide.

The researchers were able to work out how these two proteins fit together and how an antibody called MEDI3622 can plug ADAM17’s active site, keeping it from turning on. But they also found the solution — a hidden control switch of sorts in the iRhom2 protein that helps to connect signals from inside the cell to what’s going on outside.

Understanding these new functions may help in the design of more precise drugs that shut down ADAM17 when it’s misbehaving, without causing unwanted side effects, offering a clearer path to targeting inflammation at its root.

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Meet Glaphene

Brad and Angelina made Brangelina and now a mashup of names has hit the materials science world as scientists take graphene, known for its strength, flexibility and electrical conductivity, and mash it with a type of glass.

Scientists at Rice University have created Glaphene.

Graphene typically acts as a superconductor and the silica glass as an insulator, kind of like a wall that blocks electricity. When these opposites are layered together just right, some cool magic happens.

The atoms begin to communicate across layers, reshuffling their electrons. As a result, Glaphene becomes a semiconductor.

This means it can conduct electricity in a way for use in electronics like solar cells, sensors or futuristic computers. The technology we use daily, like cell phones, cannot function without semiconductors.

Future applications may include next-generation electronics, photonics and quantum devices.

The researchers emphasize this could lead to new ways to mix and match 2D materials and create something entirely new that could lead to custom-built materials tailored for specific functionalities in advanced tech.

More like this: Seeing space in 2D

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3D PRINTERS GET COOKING

3D printing has long been used in manufacturing and medicine. But now food companies are using the technology to serve up sustainable practices and customized nutrition.

The food industry is responsible for about a third of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the United Nations. And agriculture takes up half of the world’s livable land mass and uses over 70 percent of fresh water, per Our World in Data.

But 3D-printed food utilizes more sustainable food sources like algae, insects and plant-based materials, which can also add valuable protein to a plant-based diet without the “ick” factor. In addition, printing exactly what we plan to eat could mean less waste, less packaging and reduced transport needs.

The process starts with a digital design of whatever you’re hungry for. A specialized printer heats the contents for malleability and produces the item layer by layer, much like a piping bag expelling icing. This is the most common technique and is called fused deposition modeling. As each layer hits the cold surface beneath, cooling for the next layer, it solidifies, and dinner is served.

With customization, food can be created with specific nutrient and calorie content, and it can be designed to look appealing to the diner. And when food is printed made-to-order, there’s no need to add chemicals to extend the shelf life.

“Options could include using food waste as a 3D substrate from which mushrooms or other edible fungi can be grown.”

– Bryan Quoc Le, food scientist

The ingredients are typically food elements like fats, carbohydrates or proteins in the form of purees or pastes. From intricate chocolate work to pasta to plant-based meat, the edible food ink possibilities seem endless.

There’s still research to be done, however.

“3D printing of food waste to generate new foods can be challenging. The ingredients need to be processed such that the materials are rendered safe from microbiological contamination.

They also need to maintain excellent taste and texture when converted into new food,” says Bryan Quoc Le, food scientist and author of “150 Food Science Questions Answered.”

“Possibilities may be to convert food waste into dried powders and transformed into 3D-printable edible inks. Other options could include using food waste as a 3D substrate from which mushrooms or other edible fungi can be grown,” he tells KUST Review.

According to Allied Market Research, the 3D printing food market is expected to pass U.S.$15 billion globally by 2031, up from U.S.$226.2 million in 2021.

More like this: From petri dish to plate — the meat industry takes a bite out of science

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Fountain of youth?

The beauty industry makes billions annually from the global population keen to slow, reverse or stop aging altogether. A new study says tweaking our blood might just be the fountain of youth we’ve been seeking.

Researchers at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging in California tested therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) — a medical procedure that removes old plasma from your blood and replaces it with a clean mix. Kind of like giving your blood a spring cleaning.

Testing included a clinical trial with 44 healthy individuals over 50 years of age who were either given the plasma refresh or a false treatment. Some participants were also given IVIG, which, according to the Cleveland Clinic, is a therapy of donated antibodies that support the immune system.

Those who were given biweekly plasma swaps plus IVIG reduced their biological age by an average of 2.6 years. This does not indicate that they are now 2.6 years younger than their birth certificate indicates, but how old their cells and bodies really behave.

This was determined by using tools that look at DNA patterns and molecules linked to aging.

Also observed were improvements to the immune system: less inflammation and wear and tear and more youthful T cells.

The study was small and short but it’s a glimpse into a future where personalized anti-aging treatments may exist and offer real results.

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The hunt for a Huntington’s cure

Huntington’s disease and Friedreich’s ataxia are two debilitating diseases that progress to damage the nervous system and the brain over time. They are caused by parts of your DNA repeating themselves over and over again — kind of like a stuck record that gets worse the longer it plays.

Now scientists have found a way to sort those repetitive bits with a new type of gene-editing tool called base editing, rewriting single letters at a time in the DNA without cutting the entire strand.

Two types of base editors were used: cytosine and adenine.

The researchers tested the tools on mice and on cells of patients with Huntington’s or Friedreich’s ataxia and found that by changing just a few letters within the repeated DNA sections, they became more stable — preventing growth and ultimately more damage.

In mice, the brain remained more stable, and the worsening symptoms slowed.

While in its early stages, the research opens the door to potential treatments that don’t just mask symptoms — but could potentially tackle the disease at the fundamental level.

The article was published in Nature Genetics.

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