A recent paper published in Nature covers some exciting research work – a new therapeutic method designed to allow the injection of drugs directly into cells, conferring a high selectivity to treatments.
Researchers describe a new method for delivering proteins into living cells using a bacterial contractile injection system. They engineered this system to be able to target specific cells and release a payload of proteins into them. But how does it work?
The bacterial contractile injection system described in the article uses a small, nanoscale apparatus called a bacteriophage T4 contractile sheath. This sheath comprises proteins that can be engineered to recognize and bind to specific target cells.
Once the sheath has bound to a target cell, it contracts, which pushes an inner tube-like structure through the cell’s membrane. This tube is also made up of proteins that can be engineered to deliver different payloads, including proteins, nucleic acids, and other molecules.
The payload is then released into the interior of the target cell, where it can perform its intended function. The researchers demonstrated that the system could be programmed to release different payloads in response to specific signals, such as the presence of a particular molecule or the activation of a specific cell type.
Overall, this system provides a new way to deliver proteins and other molecules into cells with high specificity and control, which could have important applications in both basic research and clinical settings.
The researchers tested the system in vitro and in vivo and found that it was able to effectively deliver a variety of proteins into different types of cells. They also demonstrated that the system could be programmed to deliver proteins in response to specific signals or triggers, such as the presence of a certain molecule.
This new protein delivery system could have important applications in medicine, particularly in developing new therapies for diseases such as cancer and genetic disorders. By allowing for the targeted delivery of proteins to specific cells, the system could potentially be used to treat a wide range of conditions.
Reference:
Kreitz, J. et al. (2023) Programmable protein delivery with a bacterial contractile injection system, Nature News. Nature Publishing Group. Available at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-05870-7 (Accessed: March 30, 2023).
