Breakthrough discovery on protein flexibility opens new frontiers in medicine, agriculture, and biotech innovation
HYDERABAD, 9 May 2025: Scientists at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) have made a groundbreaking discovery in protein science, revealing that certain proteins can shift shapes to perform multiple functions—ushering in potential innovations across medicine, agriculture, and biotechnology.
Published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, the study highlights how two plant proteins with identical structures behave differently due to varying flexibility. The more adaptable protein can bind to diverse RNA molecules by dynamically rearranging itself—without compromising stability, a critical trait for gene regulation.
Led by Dr. Mandar V. Deshmukh, the CCMB team used Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and advanced computational biology to observe rare protein states that account for just 1% of the total protein population. These fleeting forms are essential in identifying different RNA structures and explain how plants manage complex gene regulation using a limited number of proteins.
"A protein’s flexibility, not just its structure, can determine its function," said Dr. Deshmukh. "This ability to adjust mid-interaction gives proteins an evolutionary and functional advantage."
The discovery marks a paradigm shift in protein engineering, showing how minor sequence changes lead to major functional impacts. The findings suggest new pathways for developing multi-functional therapeutic proteins, enhancing crop resilience, and designing efficient biotechnological tools.
Nature’s use of flexible protein design—especially in plants lacking adaptive immunity—provides valuable insights into optimizing RNA processing without increasing protein complexity.
The implications are far-reaching: by harnessing the principles of dynamic protein binding, scientists could create next-gen biologics, precision agriculture solutions, and custom enzymes for industrial biotech applications.
