Tag

Argonaute

All articles tagged with #argonaute

science1 day ago•56 min saved

SPARDA: Kamikaze bacterial defense could spark new biotech tools

Live Science reports on SPARDA, a kamikaze-like bacterial defense system that sacrifices infected cells to prevent the spread of invaders. Scientists mapped SPARDA’s beta-relay switches in argonaute proteins with AlphaFold, revealing a self-destruct mechanism that activates in response to threats and can form DNA‑degrading chains. While SPARDA naturally guards bacteria, researchers see potential to repurpose it for diagnostics and other biotech tools, offering a CRISPR‑alternative route that could broaden target flexibility in detecting pathogens.

via Live Science|

#argonaute #bacteria #biotechnology

science-and-technology2 years ago•3 min saved

"Protein Discovery Sparks Innovation in Biotechnology"

Scientists have uncovered the activation process of a protein called SPARTA, a short prokaryotic Argonaute, which could potentially be used as a biotechnology tool. While Argonaute proteins are well-studied in eukaryotes, this is the first study to detail the structures and mechanisms of a short Argonaute in prokaryotes. The research team discovered that SPARTA undergoes structural changes and assembles into a larger molecular complex after binding to RNA or DNA. This protein plays a role in triggering bacterial cell death to prevent plasmid invasion. Understanding these mechanisms could lead to the development of highly effective natural functions for diagnostics and therapies.

via Phys.org|

#argonaute #biotechnology #protein