Protein-generating artificial intelligence (AI) has created enzymes for the primary time. It’s an evaluation that this has enabled recent drug manufacturing in addition to industrial applications in various fields.

Science Every day introduced on the twenty third (local time) that a research team on the University of Washington created an enzyme, a protein that serves as a catalyst for biochemical reactions inside cells, using AI, and published the related research within the world-renowned journal Nature on the twenty second.

In response to this, Baker Lab researchers, a protein design laboratory on the University of Washington, have developed an AI model that creates an enzyme called ‘luciferase’. Luciferase is an enzyme that oxidizes a substance called luciferin, which is often included in light-emitting organisms reminiscent of fireflies and mushrooms, and emits light with its energy.

The researchers generated hundreds of possible protein structures using the AI ​​model to create a recent luciferase that may react with luciferin.

Amongst them, it was confirmed that a protein (enzyme) called ‘luxit’ caused the specified chemical response and purified it. In consequence, it was luminous enough to be seen with the naked eye, and even stronger than natural luciferase, he explained.

“It is feasible to design enzymes with AI without counting on enzymes present in nature,” the researchers said. “Which means most custom enzymes for chemical reactions may be created with AI.”

The enzymes created by generative AI may be useful in various fields reminiscent of biotechnology, medicine, environment, and manufacturing. In biotechnology, enzymes can improve biofuel production, food processing and pharmaceutical manufacturing, and in medicine, they will function therapeutic and diagnostic tools. They also can contribute to the environment by breaking down pollutants or producing recent materials reminiscent of degradable plastics and adhesives.

“The synthesis of recent enzymes implies that it is feasible to fabricate renewable chemicals or biofuels,” said David Baker, a professor of biochemistry on the University of Washington. Professor Baker, the lead creator of the thesis, is the recipient of the 2021 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences.

Reporter Lim Dae-jun ydj@aitimes.com