What’s in a name?
I have been appointed the task of naming my first foray into synthetic biology/ protein engineering. I have never invented anything substatial enough to name before so I am having some trouble.
The protein is a new reporter for MRI. It binds paramagnetic Manganese and it creates a brighter signal than background tissues when imaged properly. What the hell do you call something like that?
My coleague and friend Yousef had this to say.
your construct could
termed as MP’s standing for either “magnetic protein”, “manganese protein”,
“metal protein”, “MRI protein” (a lot to stand for) to parallel the FP field
(fluorescent protein). Since there is no color such as in GFP and RFP
etc….Your enhanced MP (EMP) are reduced to 2 tone: darkening (DMP)and
brightening (BMP)proteins. In DMPs Ferritin would be one of them and in BMPs
yours would fall in this category…
BMP? I’m not sure it has pizzaz. Although I agree that an acronym would be appropriate. How about Manganese Enhaced Magnetic Resonance Imaging Protein? MEMRIP. Maybe MRI can be collapsed and I could just call it MEMP. If I did and Iron one it would be FEMP.
I have to figure this out before starting the patent.