New way to create huge protein polymer chains

An image showing engineering protein polymers of ultrahigh molecular weight via supramolecular polymerization

Source: © Hongbin Li/University of British Columbia

Strategy constructs synthetic protein polymers that weigh 0.5MDa

Scientists in China and Canada have engineered ultrahigh molecular weight proteins that can mimic the muscle protein titin, using a protein fragment reconstitution-based supramolecular polymerisation strategy.