Researchers get much closer to finding malaria drug by crystallising the virus’s protein in space
After successfully crystallising protein in space, Dr Chairat Uthaipipull, a senior researcher at Biotech, has sent the protein crystals to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) for further study.
The aim of this project is to create effective anti-malaria drugs.
Dr Chairat said on Wednesday (June 17) that the crystallisation of protein is important for researchers to design drugs that can better bind to this protein.
“When we see the protein’s structure clearly, it’s like we have found a key to a padlock. Crystallisation of the protein was better in space as there is no gravity and the crystals can be created in the most natural manner possible,” he said.
The protein crystals have been sent to JAXA, where they will be fired with the synchrotron light to see how it scatters.
“Then we will be able to create 3D structure of the protein to see how it looks. This will help us design a drug that can bind to this protein well, and if we can stop this protein – which is the virus’s core – from activity, then the virus will die,” the expert said.
Izumi Yoshizaki, manager of the JAXA Protein Crystal Growth project, which sent the protein to space, said: “We added protein solutions at the launch pad in the Kennedy Space Centre a few hours before take-off to prevent a pre-reaction of the matter. Therefore, we have achieved very high-quality and complete space crystals. Gistda [the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency] will have information of the light scattering and irradiation in the crystal’s structure by July.”
