World’s first artificial enzymes created using synthetic biology
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Medical Research Council (MRC) scientists have created the world’s first enzymes made from artificial genetic material. Their synthetic enzymes, which are made from molecules that do not occur anywhere in nature, are capable of triggering chemical reactions in the lab.
The research, published today in Nature, gives new insights into the origins of life and could provide a starting point for an entirely new generation of drugs and diagnostics.
The findings build on previous work by the team at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, which saw them create synthetic molecules called ‘XNAs’ that can store and pass on genetic information, in a similar way to DNA.
Using their lab-made XNAs as building blocks, the team has now created ‘XNAzymes’, which power simple reactions, such as cutting up or stitching together small chunks of RNA, just like naturally occurring enzymes.
Dr Philipp Holliger, who led the research at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, said:
‘All life on Earth depe...
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