There may soon be a new way to deal with dangerous nerve agents Rex/Shutterstock
Fluid-pumping proteins that are embedded into jelly-like membranes could be used to intercept toxic nerve agents and deliver an antidote at the same time.
Exposure to organophosphate nerve agents – which include Novichok nerve agents –聽can disrupt muscle function and lead to convulsions or difficulty breathing. Researchers have now shown that an enzyme can catalyse the breakdown of such compounds, creating a nanometre-sized pump that can both devour the nerve agent and spew out an antidote.
鈥淭he nerve agents are their food, or fuel,鈥 says Ayusman Sen…
