Research reveals hidden antibiotics in non-immune proteins

The main actors in the immune system’s cast of proteins are antibodies, which neutralize or identify foreign substances such as viruses and bacteria, and cytokines, which regulate communication and responses between cells. However, this intricate defense mechanism against infections — the leading cause of death in human history until the discovery of antibiotics — has a previously unknown secondary player that offers a fresh perspective on the body’s protective shield. Research conducted by the Machine Biology Group at the University of Pennsylvania, led by Spanish scientist César de la Fuente, has uncovered a new category of antimicrobial agents known as encrypted peptides. These peptides are hidden within molecules with various functions throughout the body, including in the eyes. The researchers’ findings were published on Tuesday in Trends in Biotechnology by Cell Press.

With this work, De la Fuente’s team has begun to decode one of the mysteries of the human proteome, the term for the complete set of proteins in an individual. In these molecules — which perform specific functions in all systems, such as the nervous, cardiovascular or digestive systems — they found chains of amino acids (peptides) whose role was previously unknown.

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