Protein ‘key’ could aid search for cancer drugs

December 8, 2004 | Source: KurzweilAI

New research at Rice University is allowing biochemists to understand a key hierarchy of protein interactions that occurs in DNA replication.

It shows for the first time how a key cell regulatory protein called p21 “trumps” its rivals and shuts down cell division while DNA repairs take place.

In healthy cells, p21 binds strongly with Human Proliferating Cellular Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) to prevent the cells from making copies of DNA until the genetic damage is repaired.

The research could aid drug makers in designing targeted therapies that block cancer cells from multiplying.

Rice University news release