Life Sciences Research Advances with the Most Detailed Human Protein Map Ever Created
The new protein atlas could help Researchers find drug targets faster and support the future of Life Sciences Research & Personalised Medicine.
Just Imagine… What if Scientists could pinpoint exactly where thousands of proteins are found inside the human body? That is now possible thanks to a team of Chinese Researchers, who have created the most detailed map of the human proteome to date. The new atlas shows how proteins are distributed across different tissues and where they are located within organs. For Life Sciences Research, this could become a valuable resource, helping Scientists identify drug targets more quickly and supporting the future of Personalised Medicine.Â
A New Milestone for Life Sciences Research
The study was led by Professor Guo Tiannan from the School of Medicine at Westlake University in Hangzhou, China.
To carry out the Research, the team developed a new platform for protein analysis which is DIA-MS (Data-Independent Acquisition Mass Spectrometry). One of its biggest advantages is that it can analyse tissue samples as small as a sesame seed. Even with such tiny samples, the technology performs protein analysis about ten times faster than previous methods while also reducing Research costs.
For Life Sciences Research, faster and more affordable protein analysis means Scientists can examine many more samples than before, making large-scale studies much easier to conduct.
Mapping Proteins Across the Human Body
The Researchers analysed around 3,000 human tissue samples collected from 58 healthy tissue types and of 25 cancer tissue types.
The project produced a database containing information on 15,332 proteins, of which 13,609 underwent detailed quantitative analysis.
Using these findings, the team created the most detailed human proteome atlas reported so far. The atlas does more than list proteins. It shows how proteins are distributed throughout the body’s tissues and pinpoints their locations within different organs. This gives Researchers a far clearer view of the human proteome and strengthens ongoing Life Sciences Research.
This newly developed protocol is capable of analysing tissue specimens of standardised size down to the size of a sesame seed. This technology works about tenfold faster than the traditional Proteomics approach. It also significantly reduces the costs of experiments, making large-scale population studies even more possible.
The spatial data set generated in the Research highlighted that protein expression is highly correlated with cell differentiation, biological state, as well as tissue type, and is not scattered randomly.
The Research study was published in the prestigious journal Nature, titled “Spatial distribution of the proteome in the human body and in cancers.“Â
Why does Discovery Matter in Life Sciences?
As per the lead author of the Research, the atlas will allow Scientists to transcend the conventional process of trial-&-error for Drug Discovery in R&D (Research & Development).
The precise knowledge about the location of the proteins makes it easier for the Researchers to locate drug targets and even discover novel ways of using existing drugs.
This is just another example of how advancements in Life Science Research are making better tools available for Biomedical as well as Life Sciences Research.
A Strong Foundation for Personalised Medicine
The Researchers believe the new protein atlas will become an important resource for future Biomedical studies.
With the further advancing evolution of Life Sciences & Technology, such a valuable resource could be useful for Scientists in their study of proteins and their functioning in human beings. With a map giving information about the exact location of proteins, it is possible that it would lead to developing more precise medications and the future success of Personalised Medicine.
