Researchers use electrocatalysis for site-specific protein modification

March 07, 2024

Boston College researchers used a mild charge of electricity to precisely modify proteins, a new tool that can be used to develop novel biotherapeutics and protein-based research tools, the team reported recently in the journal Nature Chemistry.

The team, led by BC professors of chemistry Abhishek Chatterjee and Eranthie Weerapana, developed and optimized a novel electrochemical protein labeling reaction called "eCLIC" that enables precise modification of site-specifically incorporated 5-hydroxytryptophan (5HTP) residues on many different proteins including full-length therapeutic antibodies.

Proteins are large molecules, typically composed of hundreds of amino acid monomers, Chatterjee noted. The ability to selectively modify proteins at predefined sites is important for many applications. For example, by covalently attaching toxic drugs to antibodies it has been possible to selectively deliver them to cancer cells, which resulted in both improved therapeutic efficacy and reduced off-target toxicity.

From:Phys.prg