The majority (75-80%) of breast cancers are hormone-sensitive and their growth is stimulated by the hormones estrogen and progesterone. In premenopausal women, most estrogen is produced by the ovaries, and selective estrogen receptor modulators such as tamoxifen are used to…
Blog Archives
NS1 Protein ‘Hides’ Influenza Virus RNA
The non-structural (NS1) protein of influenza A viruses plays a major role in countering host immune defence by limiting production of interferon and also limiting the antiviral effects of IFN-induced proteins. NS1 also directly modulates stages of the virus replication…
Structure of “Caffeine Receptor” Solved
Collaborating scientists at the Scripps Research Institute and The Amsterdam Center for Drug Research have determined the crystal structure of the human adenosine A2A receptor, also known as the caffeine receptor. The receptor is a member of the hetero-trimeric G-protein…
Small Molecules Lend a Hand in Protein Folding
Protein folding is the process whereby newly synthesised linear polypeptide chains fold into the well-defined 3-dimensional shape of the functional protein. In many cases, molecular chaperones assist in correct protein folding by preventing the newly synthesised protein from aggregating into…
Structure of Telomerase Revealed
Telomeres are repetitive sequences at the 3’-end of DNA which protect the end of the chromosome from destruction during cell division. During the process, the telomeres are themselves destroyed and this mechanism normally limits cells to a fixed number of…
New Targets to Fight Flu
Influenza A is a major human and animal pathogen with the ability to mutate and cross species: the recent emergence of the H5N1 strain of the Avian Influenza A virus has emphasised the need for new treatments. Between 2003 and…
Progress in Targeting the Sliding Clamp
There has been interest in the DNA polymerase sliding clamp as an antibacterial target for the last 15 years. Sliding clamp proteins, found in all organisms, encircle DNA (and slide along it!) and tether polymerases to enable rapid and processive…
