Researchers develop molecular sensor that can identify new cancer drugs

Researchers recently developed a molecular sensor that is capable of identifying cancer drugs by detecting how such chemicals modify microtubules inside living cells.

The microtubules are part of the cytoskeleton, which is a structural network within the cell's cytoplasm. They alter in response to several chemicals.

The research is significant as understanding tubulin modifications has been a challenge due to the unavailability of tools that can mark them in living cells. 

The Research: Key Highlights 

•The research was conducted by Indian researchers from inStem, Bangalore in collaboration with the Curie Institute in Orsay, France. 

•It was funded by the Indo-French Centre for the Promotion of Advanced Research, which is a bilateral organization supported by the Department of Science & Technology (DST), the Government of India and the Government of France.

•The researchers decided to overcome the shortcoming in understanding tubulin modifications by developing the first tubulin nanobody/sensor to study the dynamics of microtubule modifications in living cells and use this for identification of new cancer therapeutic drugs. 

•The researchers designed synthetic proteins also known as nanobodies that can bind specifically to modified microtubules. 

•Though the nanobodies are similar to antibodies that form the main defense mechanism in the human body against pathogens, they are much smaller in size and are easily amenable for protein engineering. 

•The nanobody was then binded with a fluorescent molecule to act as a detection tool or sensor.

•The researchers then developed and validated a live cell sensor against a unique microtubule modification called a tyrosinated form of microtubules, which is already known to be significant for cell division and intracellular organization.

•The research was published in the Journal of Cell Biology.

What is a tyrosination sensor?

• The tyrosination sensor is the first tubulin nanobody that can be used to study the dynamics of microtubule modifications in living cells. 

•This sensor was used in the research to study the effect of small-molecule compounds that target microtubules. The chemicals are frequently used as anti-cancer drugs.

•This led to the understanding that the tyrosination sensor will facilitate the study of microtubule functions and will aid in identifying new drugs of therapeutic value.

Source: PIB