Free Post 2: Synthetic Proteins

Today I was looking around the internet and I came across a blog that was talking about how bioengineers have discovered proteins that can bond with certain cells in a person’s body. One example was one that can bond with cells in a person’s respiratory system that will render it impossible for the influenza virus to be transmitted into that cell. In untreated systems the flu can attach its self to the outside of a healthy cell by interacting with a certain protein on the outside of the cell. The cell then lowers the pH around the virus and subsequently the bonding protein. The change in pH changes the makeup of the protein and this allows the flu virus to release its genetic material into the cell. This now infected cell is then used by the virus to replicate its genetic material to make more viruses. The bioengineers were able to find a protein in nature that can bind to the same protein that attracts the flu virus. This way the flu has no way to become associated with the cell and release its genetic material. Other ways this can work is by creating proteins that actually bond with viruses. Most of these proteins are still in testing or just theoretical. However, there is a good possibility that if these proteins are successful and practical enough to make, then these proteins will be at the forefront of the war on viruses.

I think that this is a really incredible thing that people can do. We have come far enough to look into our own bodies on a microscopic level and pick out how we get sick in some cases. Then what we do is we fix it. I think that is just fantastic that humans can do that. And although this article didn’t go into the topic, I would think that this sort of treatment would be fairly long lasting and could potentially work continuously for the length of the life of one of these cells.  I am also wondering what kind of problems this protein treatment could potentially cause. I wonder what kind of problems could be caused to the cells. Would this extra protein cause any problems by not facilitating normal cell functions? Why is this protein on the outside of the cell in the first place if not to allow things into the cell? What repercussions would be caused by bonding another protein to it? I am also wondering what kind of delivery method would be used for these proteins. I can see them being an inhalant. In the case of the flu virus in the respiratory system so that is my best guess as to how this would work. I just wonder if inhaling this would cause any irritation in the lungs. If it came in shot form would injecting proteins act differently in other places of the body and cause other problems? 

Works Cited

“Synthetic Proteins Could Serve As Next Generation of Antivirals.” The Biomedical Blog: Engineering. The Biomedical Blog, 8 June 2012. Web. 15 September 2013