Chemists bring mixed folded proteins to life

Scientists from ITMO University in Saint Petersburg and Hebrew University in Jerusalem have found a way to recover a protein structure after its chemical denaturation. The method is based on electrostatic interaction between folded, or denatured, proteins and alumina, which unwrap them. The authors highlight the versatility of the method, which works for both specific molecules and multiprotein systems—no previous technique has been able to recover mixtures of enzymes before. This can simplify and cheapen the production of drug proteins for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s treatment. The study appeared in Scientific Reports.