University of Cambridge scientists have unveiled an atlas of proteins that details their interactions within human cells, offering significant insights into disease mechanisms and cellular functions.
Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed a groundbreaking atlas of proteins that elucidates their behavior and organization within human cells. This innovative tool holds promise for uncovering the origins of diseases linked to protein malfunctions, such as dementia and various cancers.
The atlas, published in Nature Communications, has enabled scientists to identify new proteins responsible for numerous vital bodily functions. The research zeroes in on a particular type of cell component known as a condensate. Acting as organizing hubs for proteins, condensates are also critical sites where disease processes often commence.
“The model has allowed us to discover new components in membraneless compartments in biology as well as discover new principles underlying their function,” the study’s lead researcher Tuomas Knowles, a professor of physical chemistry and biophysics, said in a news release.
Cells consist of meticulously organized molecules, and one organizational strategy involves proteins congregating inside condensates. These microscopic hubs are integral to cellular operations, yet until now, no comprehensive map existed detailing which proteins aggregate into which condensates.
“To date we have not had a comprehensive map of which proteins go together into which condensates, but in our work we provide a first such atlas,” Knowles added, emphasizing the novel nature of their accomplishment.
Recognizing the complex rules that direct protein behavior within cells, the Cambridge team employed artificial intelligence (AI) to craft their atlas. They utilized extensive databases, like StringDB and BioGRID, containing vast amounts of cellular data, alongside more detailed studies on individual condensates.
The AI-driven approach enabled the team to navigate and synthesize complex and voluminous datasets, expanding their capacity to characterize the full cellular landscape, which had previously been limited to a handful of proteins.
This model has allowed us to “make predictions about every single protein in a cell, where exactly it would be found and what sorts of other proteins it interacts with,” Kadi Liis Saar, first author of the research and postdoctoral fellow at the Centre for Misfolding Diseases, said in the news release. “We hope that this generates opportunities for researchers and opens up new possibilities for intervention in diseases associated with aberrant condensate formation.”
The atlas has already yielded exciting discoveries; the AI identified previously unobserved proteins within the model cell, serving as a validation of its accuracy. These newfound proteins play significant roles in bodily functions, such as fat distribution, actin formation within cells and the synthesis of new proteins.
“In our study, we discovered proteins within condensates that have never been seen there before,” added Saar, elucidating the potential of these insights to pave the way for novel discoveries regarding the biological roles of condensates and their formation mechanisms.
This pioneering work promises to be a vital resource for researchers globally, poised to drive new scientific inquiries and therapeutic approaches for diseases rooted in protein dysfunction.