What is Protein Science?
What is protein science?
Protein science is an interdisciplinary field that involves the study of multiple factors of protein, such as its structure, designs, and functions. Protein molecules contain peptide-bonded amino acids and play an important role in chemical reactions vital for sustaining life.
Their amino acid composition and sequence determine their function which is specific to an organ or species. The protein science field incorporates understanding the physicochemical properties of proteins, the properties of amino acids, and their various structural organization.
This field also involves understanding globulins, albumins, conjugated proteins, protein hormones, and enzymes. The protein science field is crucial in understanding the role protein plays in developing new drugs with a more personalized approach.
What is the importance of protein science in the pharma industry?
Protein science plays an important role in understanding natural molecules and expediting the drug discovery and development process. Deep knowledge of the structure of protein greatly helps in formulating targeted therapies with a more precise effect.
Protein science has greatly evolved in the last 20-30 years. From being used for research and knowledge of its structure, function and biological significance, protein science has drastically gained importance in industrial application and positively impacted drug discovery. Latest techniques such as gene synthesis, protein crystallization, and deployment of cryoEM have led to the increase in the ability to solve structural issues related to protein.
Explain the process of protein discovery and characterization?
There are various steps involved in protein discovery which include identification, expression, and purification. Whereas, the steps involved in protein characterization are structural analysis, physicochemical properties, functional assays, post-translational modifications, and impurity analysis. This process is a combination of various experiments and analytics to simplify the function and properties of the protein. This provides valuable insights into various scientific and medical applications.
What are the various techniques used in protein science research and how it contribute to accelerating drug development?
The goal of protein science research is to identify various proteins under specific conditions and study their interactions. The most common techniques are mass spectrometry, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, protein microarray, western blotting, and protein identification. These techniques help in accelerating drug development by determining the size, 3D structure, and protein-to-protein interactions.
These insights are crucial for understanding their roles in disease processes and developing drugs that target them. For example, understanding the multiple conformations of a protein, as well as how drugs bind to different conformations, can help researchers find multiple ways of targeting proteins with drugs and treating diseases. Additionally, machine learning helps in predicting multiple protein structures and this is revolutionizing drug discovery by uncovering many more targets for new treatments.
What are the current trends and advancements in protein science?
High-Throughput Proteomics:
This method is based on mass spectrometry and it allows for the quick examination of various proteins in cells across multiple samples crucial for clinical use and various scientific fields
Protein Engineering:
Techniques such as rational design, directed evolution, de novo design, and computational methods are commonly utilized to enhance enzyme properties, stability, and catalytic activity. These techniques have been fruitful for the healthcare sector because it enhance protein applicability. It plays a critical role in understanding synthetic biology and metabolic engineering.
Protein Structure Prediction and Design:
Latest technological innovations have propelled progress in predicting and designing protein structures, resulting in the creation of new proteins with enhanced properties and expanded applications.
Non-Invasive Formulations for Therapeutic Proteins:
Recent advances in protein engineering and protein structure determination have broadened the range of non-invasive formulations for therapeutic proteins, like vaccines, antibodies, and hormones, opening up new avenues for drug delivery and treatment options.
Targeted protein degradation- PROTAC: PROTAC (Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras) is the most innovative technique that is now being used to remove specific disease-causing proteins from the body. PROTACs (small molecules) that are used to hijack the cell’s natural protein degradation machinery and eliminate target proteins by marking them for destruction.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning: AI and ML are helping drive advancement in protein science. Researchers now use algorithms to predict protein’s 3D structure, which has accelerated understanding of protein. AI and ML technology is also now being used to design functional proteins and create custom-designed proteins for various applications. AI and ML models have also been deployed for protein function production, which accelerates the identification of potential drugs.
How are proteins targeted for therapeutic interventions? What are the challenges in this process?
Researchers deploy numerous strategies to target proteins for therapeutic interventions. They modulate protein-protein interactions (PPIs) to discover new therapeutic drugs. Various challenges are due to the diversity and complexity of PPIs, which makes it difficult to find molecules with appropriate selectivity and potency to effectively modulate PPIs.
Researchers start with identifying key proteins that play an important role in disease pathways. It is critical to understand the structure and function of these target proteins, done through techniques like X-ray crystallography, NMR spectroscopy, and computational modeling. Based on these techniques molecules are designed to interact with the target protein in a specific manner, modulating its activity. These potential drug candidates then undergo rigorous testing for safety and efficacy in cell cultures and animal models, followed by clinical trials.
There are various challenges involved in this process. Firstly, high-tech techniques and expertise is required to identify suitable target proteins and understand their structures and functions. Second challenge is to design a drug that appropriately binds to target proteins while avoiding off-target effects. Another challenge is to achieve sufficient potency and bioavailability and minimize drug toxicity.
Elaborate on the role of protein engineering and optimization in drug discovery and development?
Protein engineering and optimization play a crucial role in drug discovery by creating novel therapeutic proteins with augmented properties for treating diseases. These methods improve the efficacy, specificity, and safety of therapeutic enzymes, critical for combating ailments. They also help in diagnostics, biotherapeutics, and biocatalysts, advancing pharmaceutical and enzyme industries. Protein engineering also allows for switchable protein therapeutics, controlling protein activities to minimize its side effects. It also helps deliver drugs to cell compartments, thereby addressing the limitations of traditional drugs.
What are some examples of successful protein-based therapies currently on the market?
Protein-based therapies have proven to be profoundly successful, with several approved drugs on the market. Monoclonal antibodies are known for their specificity and minimal interference with normal body functions. For this reason, they are now being widely used to treat diseases like cancer, diabetes, and multiple sclerosis. This makes them the most profitable sector in the market.
Another example is recombinant DNA technology which has boosted the market for protein therapeutics. It offers an easier way to produce numerous human proteins compared to traditional methods.
Vaccine therapeutics (COVID-19, Hepatitis B virus PreS protein, SARS-CoV-2), recombinant & PEGylated proteins, and Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) are considered latest protein-based therapies. These therapies have become increasingly important in healthcare due to their specificity and low possibility of causing immune reactions.
