Just over a year ago, in December 2023, David Baker received the Nobel Prize for his groundbreaking research on proteins. Today, his team has taken another step forward, demonstrating how artificial intelligence could be used to create synthetic proteins capable of blocking snake venom.
A breakthrough that could save thousands of lives, especially in the most remote areas of the planet.
A Nobel Prize Winner and the Snake Venom Challenge
Artificial intelligence has demonstrated in recent years that it can predict the three-dimensional structure of proteins, molecules essential to life. Many, however, wonder what the concrete applications of this technology are. The team led by Baker atUniversity of Washington provided a tangible response, posting on Nature (I link it here) a study showing how AI can design proteins that counteract toxins found in snake venom.
The study represents a concrete example of how new software tools can allow researchers to tackle otherwise difficult or impossible challenges. Snake venom is in fact a complex mixture of toxins, mainly protein, which attack the organism on multiple fronts.
The revolution in the antidote
Currently, the main treatment is a mixture of antibodies that bind to these toxins, produced by injecting animals with sub-lethal amounts of the venom proteins themselves. But traditional antivenom treatments have several limitations: they require refrigeration and have a short shelf life.
Producing a constant supply also means that new animals need to be injected regularly and more antibodies purified from them. The new, smaller, more stable proteins could be produced in bacteria, allowing for the creation of an antivenom that does not require refrigeration.
Three-finger toxins in the crosshairs
The work focused on a single type of toxic venom protein: three-finger toxins, so called because of the physical structure into which the proteins are folded. They are a major component of snake venom, or at least of the infamous ones like the mamba, taipan and cobra.
Despite their relatively compact size, several members of the three-fingered toxin family are capable of producing two distinct types of damage: a cause group a general toxicity to cells, facilitated by the destruction of the cell membrane, while a different subgroup has the ability to block the receptor for a neurotransmitter.
The Future of Snake Venom Control
It should be noted that this research is still ongoing. Sorry for the “I want it all now” crowd, but there are no AI antidotes out there yet. Although it is not yet a complete solution to the problem, it represents a significant first step towards developing more effective and accessible treatments for snake venom. The ability to produce stable antivenom proteins through bacterial processes It could really make a difference, especially in rural or wilderness areas where many snakebites occur.
As often happens in science, what begins as theoretical research on protein structure can turn into a practical application that can save lives. A result that reminds us how important it is to continue investing in basic research, even when its immediate benefits are not immediately obvious.