About Careers MedBlog Contact us
Medindia LOGIN REGISTER
Advertisement

Flesh-Eating Bacteria Provide Basis for A Molecular 'superglue'

by Kathy Jones on April 14, 2013 at 9:45 PM
Font : A-A+

 Flesh-Eating Bacteria Provide Basis for A Molecular 'superglue'

A protein from flesh-eating bacteria has been engineered by scientists to act as a molecular "superglue" that promises to become a disease fighter.

And their latest results, which make the technology more versatile, were the topic of a report here today at the 245th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society.

Advertisement

"We've turned the tables and put one kind of flesh-eating bacterium to good use," said Mark Howarth, Ph.D., who led the research. "We have engineered one of its proteins into a molecular superglue that adheres so tightly that the set-up we used to measure the strength actually broke. It resists high and low temperatures, acids and other harsh conditions and seals quickly. With this material we can lock proteins together in ways that could underpin better diagnostic tests — for early detection of cancer cells circulating in the blood, for instance. There are many uses in research, such as probing how the forces inside cells change the biochemistry and affect health and disease."

Howarth's team at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom genetically engineered the glue from a protein, FbaB, that helps Streptococcus pyogenes (S. pyogenes) bacteria infect cells. S. pyogenes is one of the microbes that can cause the rare necrotizing fasciitis, or flesh-eating bacteria syndrome, in which difficult-to-treat infections destroy body tissue.
Advertisement

They split FbaB into two parts, a larger protein and a smaller protein subunit, termed a peptide. Abbreviating S. pyogenes as "Spy," they named the small peptide "SpyTag" and the larger protein "SpyCatcher." The gluing action occurs when SpyTag and SpyCatcher meet. They quickly lock together by forming one of the strongest possible chemical bonds. SpyCatcher and SpyTag can be attached to the millions of proteins in the human body and other living things, thus gluing proteins together.

In an advance reported at the meeting, Howarth described how Jacob Fierer, a graduate student on the research team, greatly reduced the size of the SpyCatcher part of the technology. That achievement makes the technology more flexible, enabling scientists to connect proteins into new architectures, he said.

One of the applications on the horizon involves testing the technology as a new way to detect "circulating tumor cells," or CTCs. Tumors shed these cells into the bloodstream, where they may act as seeds, spreading or metastasizing cancer from the original site to other parts of the body. That spreading is the reason why cancer is such a serious health problem. Detecting CTCs is an active area of research worldwide because of its potential for early diagnosis of cancer — from blood samples rather than biopsies — and determining when new treatments may be needed to prevent the disease from spreading.

Howarth said that the Spy technology has advantages over other molecular gluing systems that are available. SpyCatcher and SpyTag, for instance, can glue two proteins together at any point in the protein. "That flexibility allows us many different ways to label proteins and gives us new approaches to assemble proteins together for diagnostic tests," Howarth explained.

Howarth and colleagues are working with Isis Innovation, the University of Oxford's technology transfer company, to find potential partners to bring the Spy system to the market.



Source: Eurekalert
Advertisement

Advertisement
Advertisement

Recommended Reading

Latest Research News

 New Insights into How the Immune System Responds to Spinal-Cord Injuries
New study findings delineate how aging affects the immune response following Spinal cord injury (SCI) and highlight the participation of the spinal cord meninges in repair.
Nearsightedness: Atropine Eye Drops may Slow Progression in Kids
A recent clinical trial suggests that the first medication therapy to reduce the progression of nearsightedness in children could be on the way.
Autoimmune Diseases Affect One in Ten: Study
Autoimmune disorders were found to be linked to Sjogren's, systemic lupus erythematosus, and systemic sclerosis.
Remarkable Journey of Transforming Lives With Brain Pacemaker
Successful brain pacemaker implantation has helped a 51year old Parkinson's disease patient to revitalize her quality of life.
What Are the Effects of Healthy Lifestyle on Osteoarthritis?
Recent recommendations on lifestyle behaviors to prevent progression of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases revealed.
View All
This site uses cookies to deliver our services.By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Cookie Policy, Privacy Policy, and our Terms of Use  Ok, Got it. Close
×

Flesh-Eating Bacteria Provide Basis for A Molecular 'superglue' Personalised Printable Document (PDF)

Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested

You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends.

Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice.

Name *

Email Address *

Country *

Areas of Interests