Experimental characterization of de novo proteins and their unevolved random-sequence counterparts.

ABSTRACT: De novo gene emergence provides a route for new proteins to be formed from previously non-coding DNA. Proteins born in this way are considered random sequences and typically assumed to lack defined structure. While it remains unclear how likely a de novo protein is to assume a soluble and stable tertiary structure, intersecting evidence from random sequence and de novo-designed proteins suggests that native-like biophysical properties are abundant in sequence space. Taking putative de novo proteins identified in human and fly, we experimentally characterize a library of these sequences to assess their solubility and structure propensity. We compare this library to a set of synthetic random proteins with no evolutionary history. Bioinformatic prediction suggests that de novo proteins may ha

SUBMITTER: Heames B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10089919 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature