New way to control protein activity could lead to cancer therapies

sea-maid submitted, created time 2 months 2 weeks (www.sciencecentric.com)

Investigators at the Stanford University School of Medicine have found a way to quickly and reversibly fine-tune the activity of individual proteins in cells and living mammals, providing a powerful new laboratory tool for identifying-more precisely than ever before-the functions of different proteins.

The new technique also could help to speed the development of therapies in which cancer-fighting proteins are selectively delivered to tumors.

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Elevated level of SUMOylated IRF-1 in tumor cells interferes with IRF-1-mediated apoptosis

stephen submitted, created time 1 year 2 months (www.pnas.org)

SUMOylation of transcription factors often attenuates transcription activity. This regulation of protein activity allows more diversity in the control of gene expression. Interferon regulatory factor-1 (IRF-1) was originally identified as a regulator of IFN-α/β, and its expression is induced by viral infection or IFN stimulation.

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