Thioredoxin is an enzyme that plays a crucial part in a spectrum of critical functions in both humans and plants. In Plants particularly, it has been found to play a role in cell-to-cell communication, photosynthesis, flowering, and germination. It is also one of the proteins a bacteriophage should be able to obtain in order to survive and proliferate. Attributable to this fact, like in a game of cat-and-mouse chase, viruses and Thioredoxin have evolved together.
In a recent study with a “back-to-basics” approach, carried out by researchers of the University of Granada in Spain, a four million year old version of this very enzyme was found being able to destroy viruses that affect crops. In the course of the study, the primordial gene sequence was introduced in the Ecoli bacteria which successfully produced the associated protein. This was definitely astonishing to witness this protein still being able to carry out its function, as the molecular partners are now entirely different than what they used to be. And thankfully, although the cell machinery was able to recognise this long lost protein, viruses seemed not to; therefore binding to them normally and as a result meeting their end.
This novel approach to
fight viral infections even though would require massive efforts and upgrades to be applied to the human system, plants seem to be a different case with high percentage of possibility. Additionally, it also brings in a new idea, a food for thought for other scientists- instead of constantly trying to come with something entirely new and unheard of, going back to the basics or back in time looking for answers in our ancestral systems would not be a bad idea.
