Novel Anti-Cancer Method

In a novel study recently published in Nature Structural and Molecular Biology, scientists from the University of Surrey have found some important proteins that perform and regulate key biological process. When those proteins or the process fail to function, cancer and other diseases would come. This finding may help develop more effective methods for the treatment of incurable and debilitating disease.

In this study, the research team has, for the first time, analyzed a kind of important regulatory proteins-RNA binding proteins in baker’s yeast and roundworms as well as their interactions with mRNA (an important molecule that guides protein synthesis). Although these two organisms are very different, but scientists discovered in the protein revealed amazing evolutionarily conservation, which means however, metabolic enzymes-the team believes it has existed for billions of years-have new features.

André Gerber, first author of this article said: “This is an important breakthrough, because the protein and process we identified also present in human beings. We knew that they have a strong relationship with a number of diseases like cancers and neurodegenerative diseases. Now we can use new knowledge to test if the case-a new mechanism that control key biological processes-can bring effective treatment for cancers.”

Dr. Emma Laing, co-author of this article said: “It may be that before the show of protein, RNA drives this function, going back to the old mechanism, or it may be that these proteins have a hidden feature that we do not know now.”