Understanding p53 in Tumor Cells
It could be the “holy grail” of cancer science if researchers figured out how to restore p53 tumor suppressor function in immortalized cells, but to do that, they have to understand how and where p53 functions. To that end, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has made an important discovery—quoting directly: “Investigators showed how p53 acts in the cytoplasm to trigger cell death by binding to and activating a protein called BAX. Using the tools of structural biology, researchers discovered the process involves a shape change in one of p53’s amino acids that serves as the ‘switch’ to activate BAX and trigger the suicide or apoptotic pathway. The scientists also identified the enzyme in the cytoplasm that promotes the change that controls the ‘switch’.” MORE
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