– Researchers led by Scott Coyle developed a new technology that uses waves of engineered proteins to study cell behavior and activities in real-time.
– Some bacteria naturally generate waves of two proteins called MinD and MinE. The researchers discovered that introducing these MinDE proteins into human cells causes them to organize into distinctive wave patterns.
– They engineered MinDE proteins so that the wave patterns would be influenced by the activity of specific human proteins that control key cellular processes like growth, signaling, movement and division.
– When the activity of these cellular proteins changes, it triggers changes in the frequency or amplitude of the MinDE protein waves within the cell.
– This allows the cell to essentially “broadcast” signals about changes in its internal activities, like a living radio station. Researchers can then detect and record these signals to study the dynamics of cellular processes.
– This new technique provides a window into the invisible activities inside cells that normally can’t be directly observed. It has potential applications for studying healthy cell functions as well as what goes wrong in diseases.
Source: The Conversation
