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Exclusive: Meta fixes bug that could leak users’ AI prompts and generated content

Exclusive: Meta fixes bug that could leak users’ AI prompts and generated content

Meta has fixed a security bug that allowed Meta AI chatbot users to access and view the private prompts and AI-generated responses of other users.

Sandeep Hodkasia, the founder of security testing firm Appsecure, exclusively told TechCrunch that Meta paid him $10,000 in a bug bounty reward for privately disclosing the bug he filed on December 26, 2024. 

Meta deployed a fix on January 24, 2025, said Hodkasia, and found no evidence that the bug was maliciously exploited.

Hodkasia told TechCrunch that he identified the bug after examining how Meta AI allows its logged-in users to edit their AI prompts to re-generate text and images. He discovered that when a user edits their prompt, Meta’s back-end servers assign the prompt and its AI-generated response a unique number. By analyzing the network traffic in his browser while editing an AI prompt, Hodkasia found he could change that unique number and Meta’s servers would return a prompt and AI-generated response of someone else entirely.

The bug meant that Meta’s servers were not properly checking to ensure that the user requesting the prompt and its response was authorized to see it. Hodkasia said the prompt numbers generated by Meta’s servers were “easily guessable,” potentially allowing a malicious actor to scrape users’ original prompts by rapidly changing prompt numbers using automated tools.

When reached by TechCrunch, Meta confirmed it fixed the bug in January and that the company “found no evidence of abuse and rewarded the researcher,” Meta spokesperson Ryan Daniels told TechCrunch.

News of the bug comes at a time when tech giants are scrambling to launch and refine their AI products, despite many security and privacy risks associated with their use.

Meta AI’s standalone app, which debuted earlier this year to compete with rival apps like ChatGPT, launched to a rocky start after some users inadvertently publicly shared what they thought were private conversations with the chatbot. 

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#Exclusive #Meta #fixes #bug #leak #users #prompts #generated #content

ASUS Chromebook CM32 Detachable Leads the Lineup
ASUS Expands Chromebook Lineup in India With New CM14, CM15, and CM32 Models
	
Chromebooks aren’t exactly the most exciting laptops on the market, but they continue to be a popular option for students and anyone who primarily works in the cloud. Looking to capitalize on that demand, ASUS has launched three new Chromebooks in India, including a detachable 2-in-1 model that doubles as a tablet.



The new lineup consists of the ASUS Chromebook CM32 Detachable, Chromebook CM14, and Chromebook CM15. All three devices run ChromeOS and come with Google’s latest AI-powered features, along with cloud-first productivity tools aimed at students, educators, and young professionals. ASUS is also bundling three months of Google AI Pro with the devices, giving buyers access to Google’s AI tools and 5TB of cloud storage.



ASUS Chromebook CM32 Detachable Leads the Lineup







Leading the lineup is the ASUS Chromebook CM32, a 2-in-1 device designed for users who want the flexibility of both a tablet and a laptop. The device features a 2.5K touchscreen display, a detachable keyboard, a magnetic kickstand, and support for the ASUS Pen. This makes it suitable for everything from note-taking and studying to media consumption and light gaming.



ASUS has also focused on portability and durability. Despite its lightweight design, the Chromebook comes with military-grade durability certifications and Corning Gorilla Glass protection, making it better equipped to handle everyday wear and tear.



Chromebook CM14 and CM15 Focus on Battery Life







If you prefer a traditional laptop design, ASUS is also offering the Chromebook CM14 and Chromebook CM15. The two laptops feature 14-inch and 15-inch displays, respectively, and are powered by the MediaTek Kompanio 540 processor. While these aren’t performance-focused machines, they should be more than capable of handling web browsing, document editing, online classes, and other everyday workloads.



One of the standout features is battery life. ASUS claims both laptops can deliver up to 20 hours of usage on a single charge, which should easily get most users through a full day of work or study. The laptops also include a 180-degree hinge, allowing users to lay the display flat for easier collaboration during meetings, presentations, or classroom sessions.



Price and Availability



The new ASUS Chromebook lineup is now available through Amazon and the ASUS eShop. Pricing starts at ₹26,990 for the Chromebook CM14, while the larger Chromebook CM15 starts at ₹28,990. The more premium Chromebook CM32 Detachable is priced at ₹37,990. ASUS is also offering No Cost EMI and ASUS Easy Pay financing options. Monthly installments start at ₹5,165 for the CM14, ₹5,665 for the CM15, and ₹6,332 for the CM32 Detachable.





#ASUS #Expands #Chromebook #Lineup #India #CM14 #CM15 #CM32 #ModelsAsus

Leading the lineup is the ASUS Chromebook CM32, a 2-in-1 device designed for users who want the flexibility of both a tablet and a laptop. The device features a 2.5K touchscreen display, a detachable keyboard, a magnetic kickstand, and support for the ASUS Pen. This makes it suitable for everything from note-taking and studying to media consumption and light gaming.

ASUS has also focused on portability and durability. Despite its lightweight design, the Chromebook comes with military-grade durability certifications and Corning Gorilla Glass protection, making it better equipped to handle everyday wear and tear.

Chromebook CM14 and CM15 Focus on Battery Life

If you prefer a traditional laptop design, ASUS is also offering the Chromebook CM14 and Chromebook CM15. The two laptops feature 14-inch and 15-inch displays, respectively, and are powered by the MediaTek Kompanio 540 processor. While these aren’t performance-focused machines, they should be more than capable of handling web browsing, document editing, online classes, and other everyday workloads.

One of the standout features is battery life. ASUS claims both laptops can deliver up to 20 hours of usage on a single charge, which should easily get most users through a full day of work or study. The laptops also include a 180-degree hinge, allowing users to lay the display flat for easier collaboration during meetings, presentations, or classroom sessions.

Price and Availability

The new ASUS Chromebook lineup is now available through Amazon and the ASUS eShop. Pricing starts at ₹26,990 for the Chromebook CM14, while the larger Chromebook CM15 starts at ₹28,990. The more premium Chromebook CM32 Detachable is priced at ₹37,990. ASUS is also offering No Cost EMI and ASUS Easy Pay financing options. Monthly installments start at ₹5,165 for the CM14, ₹5,665 for the CM15, and ₹6,332 for the CM32 Detachable.

#ASUS #Expands #Chromebook #Lineup #India #CM14 #CM15 #CM32 #ModelsAsus">ASUS Expands Chromebook Lineup in India With New CM14, CM15, and CM32 Models
	
Chromebooks aren’t exactly the most exciting laptops on the market, but they continue to be a popular option for students and anyone who primarily works in the cloud. Looking to capitalize on that demand, ASUS has launched three new Chromebooks in India, including a detachable 2-in-1 model that doubles as a tablet.



The new lineup consists of the ASUS Chromebook CM32 Detachable, Chromebook CM14, and Chromebook CM15. All three devices run ChromeOS and come with Google’s latest AI-powered features, along with cloud-first productivity tools aimed at students, educators, and young professionals. ASUS is also bundling three months of Google AI Pro with the devices, giving buyers access to Google’s AI tools and 5TB of cloud storage.



ASUS Chromebook CM32 Detachable Leads the Lineup







Leading the lineup is the ASUS Chromebook CM32, a 2-in-1 device designed for users who want the flexibility of both a tablet and a laptop. The device features a 2.5K touchscreen display, a detachable keyboard, a magnetic kickstand, and support for the ASUS Pen. This makes it suitable for everything from note-taking and studying to media consumption and light gaming.



ASUS has also focused on portability and durability. Despite its lightweight design, the Chromebook comes with military-grade durability certifications and Corning Gorilla Glass protection, making it better equipped to handle everyday wear and tear.



Chromebook CM14 and CM15 Focus on Battery Life







If you prefer a traditional laptop design, ASUS is also offering the Chromebook CM14 and Chromebook CM15. The two laptops feature 14-inch and 15-inch displays, respectively, and are powered by the MediaTek Kompanio 540 processor. While these aren’t performance-focused machines, they should be more than capable of handling web browsing, document editing, online classes, and other everyday workloads.



One of the standout features is battery life. ASUS claims both laptops can deliver up to 20 hours of usage on a single charge, which should easily get most users through a full day of work or study. The laptops also include a 180-degree hinge, allowing users to lay the display flat for easier collaboration during meetings, presentations, or classroom sessions.



Price and Availability



The new ASUS Chromebook lineup is now available through Amazon and the ASUS eShop. Pricing starts at ₹26,990 for the Chromebook CM14, while the larger Chromebook CM15 starts at ₹28,990. The more premium Chromebook CM32 Detachable is priced at ₹37,990. ASUS is also offering No Cost EMI and ASUS Easy Pay financing options. Monthly installments start at ₹5,165 for the CM14, ₹5,665 for the CM15, and ₹6,332 for the CM32 Detachable.





#ASUS #Expands #Chromebook #Lineup #India #CM14 #CM15 #CM32 #ModelsAsus

ASUS Chromebook CM32, a 2-in-1 device designed for users who want the flexibility of both a tablet and a laptop. The device features a 2.5K touchscreen display, a detachable keyboard, a magnetic kickstand, and support for the ASUS Pen. This makes it suitable for everything from note-taking and studying to media consumption and light gaming.

ASUS has also focused on portability and durability. Despite its lightweight design, the Chromebook comes with military-grade durability certifications and Corning Gorilla Glass protection, making it better equipped to handle everyday wear and tear.

Chromebook CM14 and CM15 Focus on Battery Life

If you prefer a traditional laptop design, ASUS is also offering the Chromebook CM14 and Chromebook CM15. The two laptops feature 14-inch and 15-inch displays, respectively, and are powered by the MediaTek Kompanio 540 processor. While these aren’t performance-focused machines, they should be more than capable of handling web browsing, document editing, online classes, and other everyday workloads.

One of the standout features is battery life. ASUS claims both laptops can deliver up to 20 hours of usage on a single charge, which should easily get most users through a full day of work or study. The laptops also include a 180-degree hinge, allowing users to lay the display flat for easier collaboration during meetings, presentations, or classroom sessions.

Price and Availability

The new ASUS Chromebook lineup is now available through Amazon and the ASUS eShop. Pricing starts at ₹26,990 for the Chromebook CM14, while the larger Chromebook CM15 starts at ₹28,990. The more premium Chromebook CM32 Detachable is priced at ₹37,990. ASUS is also offering No Cost EMI and ASUS Easy Pay financing options. Monthly installments start at ₹5,165 for the CM14, ₹5,665 for the CM15, and ₹6,332 for the CM32 Detachable.

#ASUS #Expands #Chromebook #Lineup #India #CM14 #CM15 #CM32 #ModelsAsus">ASUS Expands Chromebook Lineup in India With New CM14, CM15, and CM32 Models

Chromebooks aren’t exactly the most exciting laptops on the market, but they continue to be a popular option for students and anyone who primarily works in the cloud. Looking to capitalize on that demand, ASUS has launched three new Chromebooks in India, including a detachable 2-in-1 model that doubles as a tablet.

The new lineup consists of the ASUS Chromebook CM32 Detachable, Chromebook CM14, and Chromebook CM15. All three devices run ChromeOS and come with Google’s latest AI-powered features, along with cloud-first productivity tools aimed at students, educators, and young professionals. ASUS is also bundling three months of Google AI Pro with the devices, giving buyers access to Google’s AI tools and 5TB of cloud storage.

ASUS Chromebook CM32 Detachable Leads the Lineup

ASUS Expands Chromebook Lineup in India With New CM14, CM15, and CM32 Models
	
Chromebooks aren’t exactly the most exciting laptops on the market, but they continue to be a popular option for students and anyone who primarily works in the cloud. Looking to capitalize on that demand, ASUS has launched three new Chromebooks in India, including a detachable 2-in-1 model that doubles as a tablet.



The new lineup consists of the ASUS Chromebook CM32 Detachable, Chromebook CM14, and Chromebook CM15. All three devices run ChromeOS and come with Google’s latest AI-powered features, along with cloud-first productivity tools aimed at students, educators, and young professionals. ASUS is also bundling three months of Google AI Pro with the devices, giving buyers access to Google’s AI tools and 5TB of cloud storage.



ASUS Chromebook CM32 Detachable Leads the Lineup







Leading the lineup is the ASUS Chromebook CM32, a 2-in-1 device designed for users who want the flexibility of both a tablet and a laptop. The device features a 2.5K touchscreen display, a detachable keyboard, a magnetic kickstand, and support for the ASUS Pen. This makes it suitable for everything from note-taking and studying to media consumption and light gaming.



ASUS has also focused on portability and durability. Despite its lightweight design, the Chromebook comes with military-grade durability certifications and Corning Gorilla Glass protection, making it better equipped to handle everyday wear and tear.



Chromebook CM14 and CM15 Focus on Battery Life







If you prefer a traditional laptop design, ASUS is also offering the Chromebook CM14 and Chromebook CM15. The two laptops feature 14-inch and 15-inch displays, respectively, and are powered by the MediaTek Kompanio 540 processor. While these aren’t performance-focused machines, they should be more than capable of handling web browsing, document editing, online classes, and other everyday workloads.



One of the standout features is battery life. ASUS claims both laptops can deliver up to 20 hours of usage on a single charge, which should easily get most users through a full day of work or study. The laptops also include a 180-degree hinge, allowing users to lay the display flat for easier collaboration during meetings, presentations, or classroom sessions.



Price and Availability



The new ASUS Chromebook lineup is now available through Amazon and the ASUS eShop. Pricing starts at ₹26,990 for the Chromebook CM14, while the larger Chromebook CM15 starts at ₹28,990. The more premium Chromebook CM32 Detachable is priced at ₹37,990. ASUS is also offering No Cost EMI and ASUS Easy Pay financing options. Monthly installments start at ₹5,165 for the CM14, ₹5,665 for the CM15, and ₹6,332 for the CM32 Detachable.





#ASUS #Expands #Chromebook #Lineup #India #CM14 #CM15 #CM32 #ModelsAsus

Leading the lineup is the ASUS Chromebook CM32, a 2-in-1 device designed for users who want the flexibility of both a tablet and a laptop. The device features a 2.5K touchscreen display, a detachable keyboard, a magnetic kickstand, and support for the ASUS Pen. This makes it suitable for everything from note-taking and studying to media consumption and light gaming.

ASUS has also focused on portability and durability. Despite its lightweight design, the Chromebook comes with military-grade durability certifications and Corning Gorilla Glass protection, making it better equipped to handle everyday wear and tear.

Chromebook CM14 and CM15 Focus on Battery Life

If you prefer a traditional laptop design, ASUS is also offering the Chromebook CM14 and Chromebook CM15. The two laptops feature 14-inch and 15-inch displays, respectively, and are powered by the MediaTek Kompanio 540 processor. While these aren’t performance-focused machines, they should be more than capable of handling web browsing, document editing, online classes, and other everyday workloads.

One of the standout features is battery life. ASUS claims both laptops can deliver up to 20 hours of usage on a single charge, which should easily get most users through a full day of work or study. The laptops also include a 180-degree hinge, allowing users to lay the display flat for easier collaboration during meetings, presentations, or classroom sessions.

Price and Availability

The new ASUS Chromebook lineup is now available through Amazon and the ASUS eShop. Pricing starts at ₹26,990 for the Chromebook CM14, while the larger Chromebook CM15 starts at ₹28,990. The more premium Chromebook CM32 Detachable is priced at ₹37,990. ASUS is also offering No Cost EMI and ASUS Easy Pay financing options. Monthly installments start at ₹5,165 for the CM14, ₹5,665 for the CM15, and ₹6,332 for the CM32 Detachable.

#ASUS #Expands #Chromebook #Lineup #India #CM14 #CM15 #CM32 #ModelsAsus

published late last week in the journal Nature Microbiology.

Good guy prions?

Prions are some of the strangest things around. They’re the misfolded form of a protein naturally found in the body. When a prion comes across its “normal” counterpart, it can somehow induce the latter to turn into a prion itself, almost like a zombie infection.

Classic prion disorders like mad cow disease and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease are caused by the steady accumulation of one particular type of protein, aptly named the prion protein; these disorders are universally fatal. Some scientists have also argued that other neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease, are caused by other kinds of misfolded proteins that act in a similar way to prions.

According to the study researchers, there’s growing evidence that prions and prion-like proteins are more than just harbingers of death. Studies have found that the normal prion protein and the prion-like amyloid beta (one of the drivers of Alzheimer’s) can have antimicrobial activity, for instance. So the team decided to conduct a sweeping analysis looking for antimicrobial peptide fragments within these proteins.

The researchers had previously built an AI model intended to predict the antimicrobial activity of any given peptide fragment, named APEX 1.1. Then they let APEX scan through 19.3 million short peptide fragments found in 2,897 prion and prion-like proteins. They initially uncovered 1,179 candidates, which the team narrowed down to 75 that showed the most potential. Of these, 59 were able to inhibit the growth of at least one bacterial germ in the lab, including 42 that did so at low levels (important for dosing considerations).

Finally, the researchers tested two of the strongest candidates on the skin of mice infected with Acinetobacter baumannii, a common source of drug-resistant infections in people. The candidates appeared to be roughly as effective as polymyxin B, an existing antibiotic often used as a last resort drug for certain drug-resistant infections.

The researchers have coined these antibacterial fragments collected from prions as “prionins.”

The future of prionins

More research is obviously needed to verify whether the team’s prionins can actually work as hoped—and safely—in people. The researchers also note their findings don’t settle the open question as to whether prions or prion-like proteins naturally tackle bacterial infections in our body.

At the same time, they do argue their work provides a strong proof of concept that prionins identified through AI can be viable antibiotic candidates for further testing.

“For a long time, drug discovery has been limited not only by what we can test, but by where we choose to look,” said senior study author César de la Fuente, director of the Machine Biology Group at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, in a statement from the university. “AI is changing that. It gives us a way to search the hidden layers of biology and ask whether molecules associated with one story—in this case, disease—may also carry another story with therapeutic potential.”

With any luck, the proteins known for causing the scariest diseases around could someday turn into our antibacterial allies.

#Deadly #Proteins #Mad #Cow #Disease #Fight #Superbugsantibiotic resistance,experimental drugs,prions">Deadly Proteins Behind Mad Cow Disease Might Help Us Fight Superbugs
                The next frontier of antibiotics might come from an unexpected place. Recent research identifies potential antibiotic candidates from inside prions—proteins capable of causing some of the deadliest brain infections ever known, such as mad cow disease.

 Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania used artificial intelligence to rapidly search hundreds of prions and prion-like proteins for peptides with antibacterial activity. They found several dozen promising candidates, two of which have already shown results treating bacterial infections in mice. The team’s findings establish “prion-related proteins as a productive source space for antibiotic discovery,” the scientists wrote in their paper, published late last week in the journal Nature Microbiology.

 Good guy prions? Prions are some of the strangest things around. They’re the misfolded form of a protein naturally found in the body. When a prion comes across its “normal” counterpart, it can somehow induce the latter to turn into a prion itself, almost like a zombie infection.

 Classic prion disorders like mad cow disease and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease are caused by the steady accumulation of one particular type of protein, aptly named the prion protein; these disorders are universally fatal. Some scientists have also argued that other neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease, are caused by other kinds of misfolded proteins that act in a similar way to prions.   According to the study researchers, there’s growing evidence that prions and prion-like proteins are more than just harbingers of death. Studies have found that the normal prion protein and the prion-like amyloid beta (one of the drivers of Alzheimer’s) can have antimicrobial activity, for instance. So the team decided to conduct a sweeping analysis looking for antimicrobial peptide fragments within these proteins.

 The researchers had previously built an AI model intended to predict the antimicrobial activity of any given peptide fragment, named APEX 1.1. Then they let APEX scan through 19.3 million short peptide fragments found in 2,897 prion and prion-like proteins. They initially uncovered 1,179 candidates, which the team narrowed down to 75 that showed the most potential. Of these, 59 were able to inhibit the growth of at least one bacterial germ in the lab, including 42 that did so at low levels (important for dosing considerations). Finally, the researchers tested two of the strongest candidates on the skin of mice infected with Acinetobacter baumannii, a common source of drug-resistant infections in people. The candidates appeared to be roughly as effective as polymyxin B, an existing antibiotic often used as a last resort drug for certain drug-resistant infections. The researchers have coined these antibacterial fragments collected from prions as “prionins.”

 The future of prionins More research is obviously needed to verify whether the team’s prionins can actually work as hoped—and safely—in people. The researchers also note their findings don’t settle the open question as to whether prions or prion-like proteins naturally tackle bacterial infections in our body. At the same time, they do argue their work provides a strong proof of concept that prionins identified through AI can be viable antibiotic candidates for further testing. “For a long time, drug discovery has been limited not only by what we can test, but by where we choose to look,” said senior study author César de la Fuente, director of the Machine Biology Group at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, in a statement from the university. “AI is changing that. It gives us a way to search the hidden layers of biology and ask whether molecules associated with one story—in this case, disease—may also carry another story with therapeutic potential.”

 With any luck, the proteins known for causing the scariest diseases around could someday turn into our antibacterial allies.      #Deadly #Proteins #Mad #Cow #Disease #Fight #Superbugsantibiotic resistance,experimental drugs,prions

published late last week in the journal Nature Microbiology.

Good guy prions?

Prions are some of the strangest things around. They’re the misfolded form of a protein naturally found in the body. When a prion comes across its “normal” counterpart, it can somehow induce the latter to turn into a prion itself, almost like a zombie infection.

Classic prion disorders like mad cow disease and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease are caused by the steady accumulation of one particular type of protein, aptly named the prion protein; these disorders are universally fatal. Some scientists have also argued that other neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease, are caused by other kinds of misfolded proteins that act in a similar way to prions.

According to the study researchers, there’s growing evidence that prions and prion-like proteins are more than just harbingers of death. Studies have found that the normal prion protein and the prion-like amyloid beta (one of the drivers of Alzheimer’s) can have antimicrobial activity, for instance. So the team decided to conduct a sweeping analysis looking for antimicrobial peptide fragments within these proteins.

The researchers had previously built an AI model intended to predict the antimicrobial activity of any given peptide fragment, named APEX 1.1. Then they let APEX scan through 19.3 million short peptide fragments found in 2,897 prion and prion-like proteins. They initially uncovered 1,179 candidates, which the team narrowed down to 75 that showed the most potential. Of these, 59 were able to inhibit the growth of at least one bacterial germ in the lab, including 42 that did so at low levels (important for dosing considerations).

Finally, the researchers tested two of the strongest candidates on the skin of mice infected with Acinetobacter baumannii, a common source of drug-resistant infections in people. The candidates appeared to be roughly as effective as polymyxin B, an existing antibiotic often used as a last resort drug for certain drug-resistant infections.

The researchers have coined these antibacterial fragments collected from prions as “prionins.”

The future of prionins

More research is obviously needed to verify whether the team’s prionins can actually work as hoped—and safely—in people. The researchers also note their findings don’t settle the open question as to whether prions or prion-like proteins naturally tackle bacterial infections in our body.

At the same time, they do argue their work provides a strong proof of concept that prionins identified through AI can be viable antibiotic candidates for further testing.

“For a long time, drug discovery has been limited not only by what we can test, but by where we choose to look,” said senior study author César de la Fuente, director of the Machine Biology Group at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, in a statement from the university. “AI is changing that. It gives us a way to search the hidden layers of biology and ask whether molecules associated with one story—in this case, disease—may also carry another story with therapeutic potential.”

With any luck, the proteins known for causing the scariest diseases around could someday turn into our antibacterial allies.

#Deadly #Proteins #Mad #Cow #Disease #Fight #Superbugsantibiotic resistance,experimental drugs,prions">Deadly Proteins Behind Mad Cow Disease Might Help Us Fight SuperbugsDeadly Proteins Behind Mad Cow Disease Might Help Us Fight Superbugs
                The next frontier of antibiotics might come from an unexpected place. Recent research identifies potential antibiotic candidates from inside prions—proteins capable of causing some of the deadliest brain infections ever known, such as mad cow disease.

 Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania used artificial intelligence to rapidly search hundreds of prions and prion-like proteins for peptides with antibacterial activity. They found several dozen promising candidates, two of which have already shown results treating bacterial infections in mice. The team’s findings establish “prion-related proteins as a productive source space for antibiotic discovery,” the scientists wrote in their paper, published late last week in the journal Nature Microbiology.

 Good guy prions? Prions are some of the strangest things around. They’re the misfolded form of a protein naturally found in the body. When a prion comes across its “normal” counterpart, it can somehow induce the latter to turn into a prion itself, almost like a zombie infection.

 Classic prion disorders like mad cow disease and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease are caused by the steady accumulation of one particular type of protein, aptly named the prion protein; these disorders are universally fatal. Some scientists have also argued that other neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease, are caused by other kinds of misfolded proteins that act in a similar way to prions.   According to the study researchers, there’s growing evidence that prions and prion-like proteins are more than just harbingers of death. Studies have found that the normal prion protein and the prion-like amyloid beta (one of the drivers of Alzheimer’s) can have antimicrobial activity, for instance. So the team decided to conduct a sweeping analysis looking for antimicrobial peptide fragments within these proteins.

 The researchers had previously built an AI model intended to predict the antimicrobial activity of any given peptide fragment, named APEX 1.1. Then they let APEX scan through 19.3 million short peptide fragments found in 2,897 prion and prion-like proteins. They initially uncovered 1,179 candidates, which the team narrowed down to 75 that showed the most potential. Of these, 59 were able to inhibit the growth of at least one bacterial germ in the lab, including 42 that did so at low levels (important for dosing considerations). Finally, the researchers tested two of the strongest candidates on the skin of mice infected with Acinetobacter baumannii, a common source of drug-resistant infections in people. The candidates appeared to be roughly as effective as polymyxin B, an existing antibiotic often used as a last resort drug for certain drug-resistant infections. The researchers have coined these antibacterial fragments collected from prions as “prionins.”

 The future of prionins More research is obviously needed to verify whether the team’s prionins can actually work as hoped—and safely—in people. The researchers also note their findings don’t settle the open question as to whether prions or prion-like proteins naturally tackle bacterial infections in our body. At the same time, they do argue their work provides a strong proof of concept that prionins identified through AI can be viable antibiotic candidates for further testing. “For a long time, drug discovery has been limited not only by what we can test, but by where we choose to look,” said senior study author César de la Fuente, director of the Machine Biology Group at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, in a statement from the university. “AI is changing that. It gives us a way to search the hidden layers of biology and ask whether molecules associated with one story—in this case, disease—may also carry another story with therapeutic potential.”

 With any luck, the proteins known for causing the scariest diseases around could someday turn into our antibacterial allies.      #Deadly #Proteins #Mad #Cow #Disease #Fight #Superbugsantibiotic resistance,experimental drugs,prions

The next frontier of antibiotics might come from an unexpected place. Recent research identifies potential antibiotic candidates from inside prions—proteins capable of causing some of the deadliest brain infections ever known, such as mad cow disease.

Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania used artificial intelligence to rapidly search hundreds of prions and prion-like proteins for peptides with antibacterial activity. They found several dozen promising candidates, two of which have already shown results treating bacterial infections in mice.

The team’s findings establish “prion-related proteins as a productive source space for antibiotic discovery,” the scientists wrote in their paper, published late last week in the journal Nature Microbiology.

Good guy prions?

Prions are some of the strangest things around. They’re the misfolded form of a protein naturally found in the body. When a prion comes across its “normal” counterpart, it can somehow induce the latter to turn into a prion itself, almost like a zombie infection.

Classic prion disorders like mad cow disease and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease are caused by the steady accumulation of one particular type of protein, aptly named the prion protein; these disorders are universally fatal. Some scientists have also argued that other neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease, are caused by other kinds of misfolded proteins that act in a similar way to prions.

According to the study researchers, there’s growing evidence that prions and prion-like proteins are more than just harbingers of death. Studies have found that the normal prion protein and the prion-like amyloid beta (one of the drivers of Alzheimer’s) can have antimicrobial activity, for instance. So the team decided to conduct a sweeping analysis looking for antimicrobial peptide fragments within these proteins.

The researchers had previously built an AI model intended to predict the antimicrobial activity of any given peptide fragment, named APEX 1.1. Then they let APEX scan through 19.3 million short peptide fragments found in 2,897 prion and prion-like proteins. They initially uncovered 1,179 candidates, which the team narrowed down to 75 that showed the most potential. Of these, 59 were able to inhibit the growth of at least one bacterial germ in the lab, including 42 that did so at low levels (important for dosing considerations).

Finally, the researchers tested two of the strongest candidates on the skin of mice infected with Acinetobacter baumannii, a common source of drug-resistant infections in people. The candidates appeared to be roughly as effective as polymyxin B, an existing antibiotic often used as a last resort drug for certain drug-resistant infections.

The researchers have coined these antibacterial fragments collected from prions as “prionins.”

The future of prionins

More research is obviously needed to verify whether the team’s prionins can actually work as hoped—and safely—in people. The researchers also note their findings don’t settle the open question as to whether prions or prion-like proteins naturally tackle bacterial infections in our body.

At the same time, they do argue their work provides a strong proof of concept that prionins identified through AI can be viable antibiotic candidates for further testing.

“For a long time, drug discovery has been limited not only by what we can test, but by where we choose to look,” said senior study author César de la Fuente, director of the Machine Biology Group at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, in a statement from the university. “AI is changing that. It gives us a way to search the hidden layers of biology and ask whether molecules associated with one story—in this case, disease—may also carry another story with therapeutic potential.”

With any luck, the proteins known for causing the scariest diseases around could someday turn into our antibacterial allies.

#Deadly #Proteins #Mad #Cow #Disease #Fight #Superbugsantibiotic resistance,experimental drugs,prions

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