Question

Which artificial protein is being said to block cancer cells and birth defects?
1. Amino acid Protein
2. G Protein
3. C Protein
4. T Protein

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 2 : G Protein

•  Researchers have engineered an artificial protein that may block malignant properties of cancer cells as well as correct certain birth defects.
• Cells in the human body need to communicate with each other to function properly. This is accomplished by a molecular mechanism called signal transduction and its dysregulation leads to human disease. A group of molecules called G proteins act as a signaling mechanism that enables cells to change their behavior when they are activated by surface receptors.
• According to the researchers, the G proteins can be activated via alternative mechanisms independent of surface receptors that also impact normal cell behavior and pathogenesis. Unfortunately, there are no efficient tools to investigate these alternative G protein activators and learn how to tackle their aberrant behavior in disease, until now.
• The researchers started with a natural G protein, removed some parts and changed some others to create a new protein that binds very tightly to a family of G protein activators while losing the ability to bind to any other known partner. Using this approach they created a protein that specifically inhibits a family of G protein activators without affecting any other component of the cellular machinery. Then they introduced it in cancer cells and observed that it can prevent their malignant properties by selectively inhibiting G protein activators. Similarly, when they introduced the engineered protein in an experimental model, it blunted developmental defects induced by a G protein activator.