Researchers have uncovered a previously unknown mechanism that safeguards the chromosome ends from being mistakenly repaired by the cell. While DNA repair is vital for survival, attempts to repair the chromosome ends – called telomeres – can have catastrophic outcomes for cells. The research, published in Nature, increases the understanding of how cancer and certain rare diseases develop. It was led by researchers at Linköping University and the Institute of Cancer Research in the UK.

This study investigates the impact of synonymous gene recoding, specifically codon optimization (CO) and codon-pair optimization (CPO), on the properties of human ADAMTS13 protein. By comparing wild-type (WT) ADAMTS13 with CO and CPO variants, the researchers aimed to elucidate the cellular mechanisms underlying the biogenesis of these recoded proteins and their implications for therapeutic applications.

Salamanders and chameleons, despite evolving in different habitats, use the same “slingshot” tongue mechanism powered by ordinary tissues, tendons and bone. This biological design could be scaled for human applications, from biomedical devices that clear blood clots to large-scale tools for disaster recovery or space exploration. The findings underscore how nature’s solutions can guide technological innovation.