The largest known protein has been discovered in algae—and it’s a machine that makes poison

Fierce Biotech August 12, 2024
Darren Incorvaia

The muscle protein titin has long been the titan of the molecular world. Built of more than 34,000 amino acids and weighing in at a hefty 3.7 megadaltons, titin has long been considered the largest protein in the world—until now.

A new group of toxin-making enzymes has been discovered inside the algae Prymnesium parvum, one of which—christened PKZILLA-1—dwarfs titin by more than 10,000 amino acids. P. parvum uses the monstrous PKZILLAs to manufacture a toxin that it secretes into the water, posing a threat to fish and human health alike.

“Godzilla is big, marine and spews toxins,” marine biochemist Bradley Moore, Ph.D., of the University of California, San Diego, told Fierce Biotech in an interview. “PKZILLA does all three of...

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