Connect with us

Tech

Israeli scientists discover forgotten protein with ability to fight viruses

Published

1 year ago

on

A group of Israeli scientists discovered that different species have a forgotten innate protein that has the ability to fight off viruses and strengthen their bodily immunity.

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the primary energy “currency” of all living organisms on Earth. In a study that was recently published in the journal Cell with the title “Ultrafast distant wound response is essential for whole-body regeneration,” scientists from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot described a new family of proteins that deplete cells of their energy, protecting them from invaders.

The researchers demonstrated that this hitherto undiscovered immune system is used by numerous living things including corals and bees, and has survived more than a billion years of evolution.

The freshly discovered protein is just one of more than 100 recent discoveries of very complex mechanisms employed by bacteria in their valiant fight against viruses known as bacteriophages. Many of these mechanisms were identified and characterised in the molecular genetics department at Weizmann’s Rotem Sorek lab.

Phages are made up of a lot of genetic material, such as DNA or RNA, which they inject into the bacteria they are taking over, much like the viruses that attack us. 

After completing this operation, these viruses employ the cellular machinery of the bacteria to repeatedly duplicate themselves. They rip apart a bacterium’s membrane, break out, and spread across the entire bacterial colony once they have exhausted the bacterium’s resources.

The gene that had mystifyingly cancelled out a phage’s capacity to replicate itself and infect the remainder of the colony was the subject of the researchers’ study. The researchers discovered that the unidentified gene encodes a protein that shatters and obliterates cells irreversibly.

Surprisingly, this protein is used a lot more frequently than one may think. The researchers examined the genomes of tens of thousands of bacteria and found over 1,000 immune genes that function similarly. They were shocked to discover ATP-depleting properties in a protein family that was previously unknown to belong to the immune system. 

This means that scientists have uncovered a novel immunological strategy that is present in a wide variety of bacteria and provides them with efficient defence against viruses.

The researchers did not, however, stop with bacteria; they conducted a thorough examination demonstrating that many other, more complex organisms, including fungi, insects like bees, corals, sponges, and corals, also manufacture immune ATP-cutting proteins. 

Nevertheless, this kind of immune protein does not exist in humans, the researchers believe that it is the ancient predecessor of the proteins that make up our innate immune systems.

“Many studies in the past few years have used the knowledge of advanced organisms’ immune systems to reveal immune strategies used by bacteria,” concluded Sorek. 

“Our new study shows that the extensive knowledge accumulated about bacterial immune systems enables us to follow the opposite logic – we can learn about the immune systems of advanced organisms by studying those of bacteria. ATP molecules are among the most widely occurring in nature, so clarifying their role in immunity can greatly contribute to understanding the defense strategies that countless organisms use when attacked by viruses.”

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest News

Google Makes The Decision To Boost Investments And Back The Government’s Youth Skills Training Initiative

Published

2 days ago

on

By

 Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif was visited in Islamabad by a four-person Google delegation led by Mr. Scott Beaumont, President of the APAC area.

Pakistan’s digital economy is about to undergo a revolutionary change, according to the prime minister, who greeted the team. Speaking on the government’s intentions to reach the goal of US$ 25 billion in exports over the next five years, the prime minister revealed that funding will be used for youth training, IT infrastructure upgrades, and regulatory environment enhancements. Pakistan’s economy is being fully digitalised, he remarked. In his attempts, he stressed the need of working together with a tech behemoth like Google.

The Prime Minister praised Google for pioneering projects that have dramatically enhanced the lives of thousands of Pakistanis in recent years, as well as for its involvement in propelling the country’s digital economy closer to reality. Noting with satisfaction that Google has helped Pakistani young land about a million jobs in 2023 alone, the Prime Minister emphasised that this is a testament to both Google’s dedication to upskilling and empowering Pakistan’s youth and Pakistan’s potential in the digital marketplace.

Informing the Prime Minister of its future involvement intentions, Mr. Scott stated that Google has made the decision to support the government’s youth skill-training initiatives and to expand its investment footprint in Pakistan. He went on to say that for a values-driven digital firm like Google, the growing economy and the sizeable youth population are crucial for optimising the economic benefits of technology. He restated that Pakistan’s IT industry will undergo a revolution when five lac Chromebooks are produced there by 2026.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Google launches the ability to install multiple apps at once through the Play Store.

Published

5 days ago

on

By

Android users now have the ability to install or update many apps or games at once in the Play Store thanks to a feature introduced by tech giant Google.

Even if Android users downloaded or tried to update several apps or games at once, the prior capability would only process one app at a time.

In the Google Play Store, users can now download or manually update up to three apps or games at once, according to a GSMArena report.

with order to assist Android users with updating or installing multiple apps at once, Google is reportedly already starting to roll out the new feature in a few select locations, including India.

The feature will process three apps at once while sending the fourth to pending when customers install or manually update programs.

When configuring new phones or recovering from a backup, this feature is said to save a tonne of time.

It should be mentioned that Apple has long since permitted customers to download and install up to three iOS apps at once from the App Store.

According to GSMArena, the function is really available on a few cell phones in some regions, even though Google has not formally confirmed when it will appear or whether it will work with any particular handset.

Google started releasing a new AI-powered feature for Android phones a few weeks ago that locks users out of their data to prevent hackers from accessing it.

According to a Forbes story, cellphones running Android 10 or later will soon be able to use the function, which incorporates artificial intelligence.

The anti-theft feature known as “theft detection lock” is currently being rolled out to certain users, according to Mishaal Rahman, who frequently updates his followers on the most recent OS changes on X.

A restricted group of customers who registered for the beta program in Brazil are now receiving theft detection locks, according to Rahman’s post.

Rehman claims that Google Play Services will be used to provide the AI-powered feature to all Android 10 devices.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Encouraging the IT Sector: Federal Government To Create Nationwide Network Of IT Parks

Published

6 days ago

on

By

Modern Information Technology Parks will be dotted around the nation by a network established by the federal government.

The goal of the program is to give young professionals a springboard to carry out their creative ideas and support the economy of the country.

The Ministry of Information Technology claims that these parks will increase exports and the IT industry while creating jobs for IT specialists.

Continue Reading

Trending