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DNA Designs and Counteracting Cocaine: Introducing Molecular Engineering
Conference presentation

DNA Designs and Counteracting Cocaine: Introducing Molecular Engineering

Joanne Macdonald
2012 University Research Conference Program Book, p.14
USC Research Conference, 2012 (Sunshine Coast, Australia, 09-Jul-2012–13-Jul-2012)
University of the Sunshine Coast
2012
url
https://www.usc.edu.au/View
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Abstract

Medical Microbiology molecular engineering cocaine
Forget encoding life, ever wanted to make DNA play tic-tac-toe, or re-design proteins for cocaine detoxification? The accumulated knowledge about biomolecules can now be used to intentionally design new technologies through molecular engineering. As an example, we have constructed molecular circuits from DNA that play tic-tactoe interactively with a human opponent. The circuits are built from engineered deoxyribozymes, which react to DNA inputs and produce DNA outputs that trigger the accumulation of fluorescence in a well plate. We have also re-engineered a natural cocaine-degrading protein enzyme (CocE) to be stable at body temperature for use as a cocaine overdose antidote. Through two amino-acid substitutions (T172R and G173Q; DM-CocE) we improved the protein's in vitro half-life at 37 °C from 15 minutes to 5 hours. In vivo, the enzyme can protect mice against a lethal injection of cocaine (up to 200mg/kg), and in monkeys can reduce cocaine-induced cardiovascular effects within 5-10 minutes of administration. These two examples demonstrate the application of molecular engineering to improve existing molecules beyond their narrow range of conditions, and to even create new functions that do not exist in nature.

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