Australian researchers have unveiled a revolutionary "biological artificial intelligence" platform that could transform drug discovery by dramatically reducing development timelines from years to weeks. The system, called PROTEUS (PROTein Evolution Using Selection), enables the rapid creation and evolution of molecules with new or enhanced functions directly inside mammalian cells.
The breakthrough represents a significant advancement in molecular engineering, as directed evolution has traditionally been confined to bacterial cells. PROTEUS marks the first time such evolution can occur within mammalian cells, allowing scientists to mimic and accelerate natural selection processes.
Revolutionary Approach to Molecular Evolution
"What is new about our work is that directed evolution primarily works in bacterial cells, whereas PROTEUS can evolve molecules in mammal cells," explained Greg Neely, co-senior author of the study from the University of Sydney. This capability opens new possibilities for developing more effective gene therapies and next-generation medicines.
The platform's ability to work within mammalian cells is particularly significant because it allows researchers to evolve proteins in an environment that more closely resembles the conditions where therapeutic molecules will ultimately function in patients.
Accelerating Drug Development Timelines
PROTEUS has the potential to revolutionize pharmaceutical research by dramatically compressing development timelines. The system can reduce processes that traditionally required years of work to just weeks, representing a substantial acceleration in the pace of drug discovery.
This speed improvement could have far-reaching implications for bringing new treatments to patients faster, particularly for urgent medical needs where time is critical.
Open Source Platform for Global Impact
The research team, led by the University of Sydney's Charles Perkins Center and the Centenary Institute, has made a strategic decision to make PROTEUS open source. This approach aims to enable global adoption and accelerate the development of advanced enzymes, molecular tools, therapeutics, and improved gene-editing and mRNA-based medicines.
By making the platform freely available to researchers worldwide, the team hopes to maximize its impact on drug discovery efforts across the global scientific community. The open-source model could facilitate collaborative research and speed the development of new therapeutic approaches.
Implications for Future Medicine
The PROTEUS platform paves the way for more effective gene therapies and advanced medicines by providing researchers with a powerful tool for rapidly evolving molecules with desired properties. The system's ability to work within mammalian cells makes it particularly valuable for developing therapeutics that need to function in human biological systems.
The platform's potential applications extend beyond traditional drug discovery to include the development of improved gene-editing tools and mRNA-based medicines, areas that have shown tremendous promise in recent years for treating previously intractable diseases.
