How disease mutations affect the Parkin protein
Sunday, June 2, 2013 - 18:30
in Biology & Nature
Researchers have determined the crystal structure of Parkin, a protein found in cells that when mutated can lead to a hereditary form of Parkinson’s disease. The results define the position of many of the mutations linked to hereditary Parkinson’s disease and explain how these alterations may affect the stability and function of the protein. The findings may in time reveal how the activity of Parkin is affected in patients with this rare but debilitating type of Parkinson’s disease.