Northeastern University researchers resurrected an extinct plant gene, turning back the evolutionary clock to pave a path forward for the development and discovery of new drugs.

Specifically, the team, led by Jing-Ke Weng, a professor of chemistry, chemical biology and bioengineering at Northeastern, repaired a defunct gene in the coyote tobacco plant. In a new paper, they detail their discovery of a previously unknown kind of cyclic peptide, or mini protein, called nanamin that is easy to bioengineer, making it “a platform with huge potential for drug discovery,” Weng says.

“It will provide chemical biologists with other tools to develop new peptide-based cancer treatments, for discovering new antibiotics and also for agricultural applications for defense against pathogens and insects,” Weng says.

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Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University