Overview

• The University of Washington team reports in Nature Chemical Biology that programmable protein “tails” autonomously control localization and cargo release based on defined biological cues.
• The proteins implement Boolean operations, including AND, OR, and YES gates, to act only when specific combinations of biomarkers are present.
• Recombinant expression in living cells replaces laborious chemical synthesis, reducing design‑to‑product timelines from months to weeks.
• Bench demonstrations showed responsiveness to up to five biomarkers and multiplexed release of three biomacromolecules from hydrogels, with attachment to hydrogels, beads, or living cells.
• The work remains preclinical, and the researchers plan biomarker discovery and collaborations for applied testing with potential uses in cancer therapies and diagnostics.