Proteins, often perceived as static 3D structures, can change their shapes based on biological needs, acting like biological transistors. While AI has previously been used to predict and even generate novel protein structures, a new study in Science has introduced flexibility to these AI-designed proteins. These proteins can stabilize into two distinct forms, similar to a hinge being open or closed, based on an external biological “lock.”
Dr. Florian Praetorius from the University of Washington highlighted the potential applications of these dynamic proteins. The proteins were designed using a combination of AI tools, including AlphaFold and Rosetta. The ultimate goal is to create biological transistors for synthetic biology, with Dr. Philip Leung noting the potential for this technology to revolutionize biotechnology similarly to how transistors transformed electronics.