AI‑Designed Enzymes Target Disease Proteins with Precision

Researchers have used AI-based protein design tools to create new enzymes that can selectively cleave target proteins. By taking the catalytic core of two natural proteases and replacing the remainder of the protein scaffold, scientists produced chimeric proteases that retain the ability to break peptide bonds but can be engineered to cut specific disease‑related proteins in half. In laboratory tests, the engineered enzymes successfully cleaved proteins linked to neurological disorders, demonstrating a proof‑of‑concept for precision protein degradation. The approach bypasses the long evolutionary path that normally generates diverse proteases, offering a rapid platform for developing therapeutic enzymes that target pathological proteins.