Protein's Structural Shift Offers Clues to Tumor Suppression and Other Key Cell Functions
Thursday, July 3, 2014 - 08:30
in Biology & Nature
Researchers have discovered how one segment of an important regulatory protein changes shape so it can fulfill multiple roles in the life of cells, including tumor suppression. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists led the study, whose findings could aid cancer drug development. The research focused on the protein nucleophosmin 1 (NPM1), which plays a critical part not only in tumor suppression but in cell division, protein production and other cell processes. Until now, however, how NPM1 fulfilled its varied responsibilities was unknown. The study was published recently in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).