Navigation Links
U-M researchers find key interaction that controls telomeres
Date:2/16/2010

ANN ARBOR, Mich. In the dominoes that make up human cells, researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center have traced another step of the process that stops cells from becoming cancerous.

It starts with the enzyme telomerase, which affects the caps, or telomeres, at the end of a chromosome. Telomeres shorten over time. But telomerase prevents this from happening, making the cell immortal. If cancer is triggered in the cell, the presence of telomerase leads to the growth of the cancer.

Telomerase is kept in control by the protein TRF1, which keeps the telomeres operating correctly. But another protein, Fbx4, can bind to TRF1 and degrade it, causing the telomeres to lengthen.

Now, researchers have discovered, a third protein, TIN2, can step in and override Fbx4 by binding to TRF1 first and preventing Fbx4 from attaching to it.

This finding paves the way for developing a drug that acts like TIN2, keeping everything in check and stopping the first domino from falling.

Results of the study appear in the Feb. 16 issue of Developmental Cell.

"In 90 percent of cancers, no matter what caused the cancer to form, it needs telomerase activity to maintain the cell. Without telomerase, the cell will die. Our work is key to understanding a detailed mechanism for how these molecules interact and how to design a drug to block Fbx4," says senior author Ming Lei, Ph.D., assistant professor of biological chemistry at the University of Michigan Medical School.

The researchers found that the location in the molecule where Fbx4 binds to TRF1 overlaps with where TIN2 binds to TRF1. Where both Fbx4 and TIN2 are present, the TIN2 wins out and binds to the TRF1 first. This blocks Fbx4 from binding to the TRF1, thereby stabilizing TRF1 and keeping the telomere length in control.

The researchers are now looking at peptides that mimic TIN2's binding to TRF1, in order to block Fbx4. The
'/>"/>

Contact: Nicole Fawcett
nfawcett@umich.edu
734-764-2220
University of Michigan Health System
Source:Eurekalert  

0

GOOD

Page: 1 2

Related biology news :

1. Researchers identify proteins involved in new neurodegenerative syndrome
2. Texas researchers and educators head for Antarctica
3. MGH researchers describe new way to identify, evolve novel enzymes
4. University of Pennsylvania researchers develop formula to gauge risk of disease clusters
5. U of MN researchers discover noninvasive diagnostic tool for brain diseases
6. U of Minnesota researchers discover noninvasive diagnostic tool for brain diseases
7. Researchers discover new strategies for antibiotic resistance
8. Researchers find new taste in fruit flies: carbonated water
9. Binghamton University researchers investigate evolving malaria resistance
10. UIC researchers find promising new targets for antibiotics
11. Researchers develop simple method to create natural drug products
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
Related Image:
U-M researchers find key interaction that controls telomeres
(Date:5/17/2013)... Atlanta residents of all ages will celebrate the ... impact on our daily lives during the inaugural ... engineers and educators from local museums, corporations, K-12 ... than 40 different events for children and adults ... http://atlantasciencefestival.org . , The annual Atlanta ...
(Date:5/17/2013)... China---- Why Tibetan antelope can live at elevations ... collaborative research published in Nature Communications , ... provide evidence that some genetic factors may be ... environments. The data in this work will also ... the biology of other ruminant species. , The ...
(Date:5/17/2013)... climate change may have little impact on many ... recent studies that predict their widespread extinction in ... appear in the journal Global Change Biology ... creature thought to be doomed: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.12253/abstract ... forest lizards, will be hard hit by climate ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):First Atlanta Science Festival set for 2014 2The genome sequence of Tibetan antelope sheds new light on high-altitude adaptation 2Climate change may have little impact on tropical lizards 2
... A research team at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) ... Institutes of Health (NIH) for a project aimed at ... into stem-like cells. If successful, the research could result ... tissue lost to injury, growing new organs, and curing ...
... Erec Stebbins, associate professor at The Rockefeller University, has ... Institutes of Health for a project aimed at exploiting ... into specific cells for therapeutic purposes. The award, which ... by the NIH September 3. The EUREKA program ...
... two Michigan universities have joined technical and clinical ... and computer algorithms to work in the sleep ... that a new approach to analyzing sleep fragmentation ... Joseph W. Burns, a research scientist ...
Cached Biology News:NIH EUREKA award funds research at WPI aimed at turning adult skin cells into stem-like cells 2NIH EUREKA award funds research at WPI aimed at turning adult skin cells into stem-like cells 3NIH EUREKA award funds research at WPI aimed at turning adult skin cells into stem-like cells 4C. Erec Stebbins awarded prestigious EUREKA grant 2What a sleep study can reveal about fibromyalgia 2What a sleep study can reveal about fibromyalgia 3
(Date:5/19/2013)... Switzerland’s MS Tûranor PlanetSolar , the ... record for a transatlantic crossing by a solar electric ... 25, 2013, the solar powered boat sailed 2,867miles (5,310 ... of 5.3 knots before reaching Marigot, St. Martin, in ... first-of-its-kind catamaran completed this year’s passage across the Atlantic ...
(Date:5/19/2013)... The JM Internet Group (web: jm-seo.org), a leader ... that the company's YouTube channel on SEO tips ... YouTube. The company uses YouTube as a way to ... for small businesses with much success. , "I love ... for their SEO strategies", explained Jason McDonald, director of ...
(Date:5/17/2013)... 2013 Topricin Pain Relief and ... been listed among nationally recommended over-the-counter (OTC) health ... by "U.S. News" Health in collaboration with "Pharmacy ... “No. 1 Pharmacists Recommended designation” in the “Topical ... brands, and is the only homeopathic formula to ...
(Date:5/17/2013)... 17, 2013 Dr. Sparano is Professor ... Health at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and ... Montefiore Medical Center. He is also Associate Director ... leads the Einstein Breast Cancer Working Group, a multidisciplinary ... cancer research. He also serves as Vice Chair of ...
Breaking Biology Technology:MS Tûranor PlanetSolar Sets World Speed Record for Transatlantic Crossing by Solar Electric Vessel 2MS Tûranor PlanetSolar Sets World Speed Record for Transatlantic Crossing by Solar Electric Vessel 3MS Tûranor PlanetSolar Sets World Speed Record for Transatlantic Crossing by Solar Electric Vessel 4MS Tûranor PlanetSolar Sets World Speed Record for Transatlantic Crossing by Solar Electric Vessel 5MS Tûranor PlanetSolar Sets World Speed Record for Transatlantic Crossing by Solar Electric Vessel 6YouTube Channel on SEO Tips Surpasses 175,000 Views, Announces JM Internet Group 2Pharmacists' Picks: Topical BioMedics' Topricin Listed on Top Recommended OTC Health Products 2Joseph A. Sparano, MD, Named Vice Chair of ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group 2Joseph A. Sparano, MD, Named Vice Chair of ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group 3
... May 9 ,Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, "Takeda", (TSE: ... ) today announced the,successful completion of Takeda,s cash ... to acquire all outstanding shares,of Millennium common stock ... period for the tender offer expired at 12:00,midnight, ...
... May 8 Alsius Corporation,(Nasdaq: ALUS ), ... for critically ill patients, today,announced that it will ... quarter results and provide a corporate update. Bill ... host the call beginning at,1:30 p.m. Pacific Time ...
... May 8 Keryx Biopharmaceuticals,Inc. (Nasdaq: KERX ) ... 2008 at,8:30 a.m. EDT to discuss the first quarter ... Officer of the Company, will host,the call. Keryx will ... release to be issued prior to the call., ...
Cached Biology Technology:Takeda Successfully Completes Tender Offer for Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Announces Subsequent Offering Period 2Takeda Successfully Completes Tender Offer for Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Announces Subsequent Offering Period 3Takeda Successfully Completes Tender Offer for Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Announces Subsequent Offering Period 4Takeda Successfully Completes Tender Offer for Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Announces Subsequent Offering Period 5Alsius Corporation to Host First Quarter 2008 Financial Results Conference Call on May 15, 2008 2Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. to Hold Conference Call on First Quarter 2008 Financial Results on Monday, May 12, at 8:30 A.M. EDT 2
Rabbit polyclonal to FOXJ2 ( Abpromise for all tested applications). entrezGeneID: 55810 SwissProtID: Q9P0K8...
PI/RNase Staining Buffer Solution , 100 ml Consult technical datasheet for details....
Goat polyclonal to HSPC150 ( Abpromise for all tested applications). entrezGeneID: 29089...
Macrophage-stimulating protein receptor...
Biology Products: