AI Designs Proteins to Neutralize Snake Venom
2025-01-16
Researchers, including Nobel laureate David Baker, used AI to design novel proteins that inhibit certain snake venom toxins. Employing AI tools like RFdiffusion and ProteinMPNN, they created proteins that bind to 'three-finger toxins' found in snake venom. AlphaFold2 and Rosetta software predicted the binding strength. Experiments showed the designed proteins effectively protected mice from neurotoxins, suggesting a new approach to antivenom development. However, inhibitors targeting a different toxin that disrupts cell membranes proved ineffective, highlighting gaps in our understanding of protein-membrane interactions.
Tech
Biotechnology