Articles tagged with Mutant Proteins
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A genetic study found shared mutations between house dust mite populations in the US and South Asia, indicating migration across continents. The discovery highlights the potential for these tiny creatures to travel long distances and establish new populations.
Case Western Reserve researchers have identified a protein mutation that prevents proper gonadal tissue development, leading to cancer and other issues. The discovery highlights the importance of the SRY protein in regulating male sex determination and has implications for understanding birth defects and cancer.
A new study suggests that ALS progression is linked to increased protein instability, particularly in mutant superoxide dismutase (SOD) proteins. The researchers found that SOD clusters or aggregates are common in affected motor neurons and support cells, suggesting a potential target for therapy.
Mutations in histone H3.3 drive cancer by repressing PRC2 and recruiting demethylases like KDM3B. This alters chromatin structure, allowing oncogenes to be derepressed, potentially leading to tumorigenesis. The specific role of these mutations remains an open question.
Researchers have identified the mechanism by which Kennedy's disease causes muscle weakness and reduced fertility, impairing autophagy pathway function. The study suggests that targeting the bad androgen receptor protein could prevent the disease and other neurological disorders from progressing.
Researchers at Stanford Medicine have identified a link between the tumor-suppressive protein p53 and the rare developmental disorder CHARGE syndrome. The study found that p53 plays a crucial role in regulating cellular growth, and mutations in the gene can lead to CHARGE symptoms.
Scientists have identified a genetic change that impairs protein transport in cells, potentially leading to nerve cell loss and Parkinson's disease. A VPS35 gene mutation is linked to the disease, affecting cargo proteins and their correct destinations.
Scientists have discovered that a defect in the huntingtin gene impairs mitochondria, leading to brain cell death in Huntington's disease. The study found that brain cells rely heavily on their mitochondria, making them vulnerable to disruption.
Researchers resurrected an ancient ancestor of a human protein and created millions of alternative histories to test the role of chance events in evolution. They found that two extremely unlikely mutations were necessary for the protein's modern-day function to evolve.
Researchers at the University of Utah found that multiple silent mutations greatly impact protein translation, with some causing a five-fold decrease in speed. The study also reveals that codon context matters, altering translation efficiency by up to 30-fold.
Researchers have discovered a pair of genes that regulate eating schedules in sync with daily sleep rhythms, and mutations in one of these genes may play a role in night eating syndrome. In mice with mutations, eating patterns are shifted, leading to unusual mealtimes and weight gain.
Researchers identified a single-letter change in DNA that turns cold-sensitive TRP ion channels into heat-activated ones, offering potential for more specific pain relievers with less severe side effects. The study could lead to the development of analgesic compounds to treat chronic pain by targeting temperature-sensitive molecules.
Researchers at Kansas State University have identified a new protein, BiP, associated with the neurological disorder dystonia. The study, published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, suggests that modulating BiP could lead to effective treatments for dystonia.
Researchers discovered that PTEN mutations contribute to tumorigenesis by regulating different aspects of PTEN biology, and targeting Akt's pathway may be an effective treatment strategy for patients with PTEN mutations. The findings suggest that personalized cancer medicine is urgently needed.
Researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine discover mutant protein levels in muscle cells are involved in SBMA, suggesting an alternative treatment avenue. Antisense oligonucleotides suppress mutant protein toxicity in mice, improving symptoms and survival.
A study funded by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke found that mutations in the LRRK2 gene may cause excessive protein production, leading to cell death. This could provide a new target for monitoring Parkinson's disease and developing therapies.
A mutated protein can lead to holes in a cell's membrane, disrupting salt balance and causing high blood pressure. Researchers have discovered the mechanism behind this phenomenon, which may lead to new and better medication for high blood pressure.
Researchers found auxiliary proteins play crucial role in sodium channels, affecting disease treatment and pain syndromes. The discovery could lead to more focused treatments for epilepsy, neurological diseases, and muscular disorders.
Researchers at UC Irvine and Germany have identified the molecular mechanism behind cataract formation, which could lead to new treatments. Understanding how crystallin proteins interact with genetic mutations, UV light, or chemical damage may enable the development of better artificial lenses and drugs.
Researchers found that ALS protein Fus promotes the translation of RNAs in cells with cytoplasmic granules similar to those in ALS patients. This suggests a new mechanism contributing to disease symptoms, where misdirection of RNA translation rather than silencing drives pathology.
Researchers have identified a new therapeutic target for Huntington's disease, the HDAC4 enzyme. Halving levels of HDAC4 in cells can delay aggregation of mutant huntingtin protein and rescue nerve cell function.
Researchers have generated disease-specific induced pluripotent stem cell lines from a patient with familial transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR), a lethal protein-folding disorder. The study successfully recreates essential aspects of the disease in vitro, validating this iPSC-based system as a platform for testing therapeutic strategies.
A new study by Harvard Medical School researchers has successfully treated a genetic disorder in mice that causes cardiac muscle thickening, weakening the heart. By reducing production of a mutant protein, the treatment prevented HCM manifestations for about six months, offering significant promise for potential human treatment.
Johns Hopkins researchers reveal how Merlin, a protein involved in tumor suppression, acts as a 'matchmaker' to control tissue growth. By arranging interactions between proteins, Merlin helps prevent cancerous tumors from forming.
Researchers investigate protein diversity, finding that many small changes have no impact, but some can significantly affect functionality. The study suggests that the wide functional spectrum of proteins plays a key role in evolution, and may hold the key to personalized medicine.
A blood test developed by MGH researchers can detect levels of mutant huntingtin protein, which causes Huntington's disease. The assay uses HTRF technology and may predict symptom onset or progression.
A multi-institutional team has found a recurrent genetic mutation, PRKG1, linked to thoracic aortic dissections in families with young members. The mutation causes muscle cells in the aorta wall to respond incorrectly to blood flow, leading to aneurysms and acute dissections.
Researchers at the University of Iowa have identified three proteins necessary for constructing a key section of the critical sugar chain that enables the central protein to function properly. Defects in these proteins can cause congenital muscular dystrophy, a group of muscle diseases.
A NIH-funded study found that rapidly removing defective proteins can help protect brain cells from death. Researchers developed a new technique to track protein turnover in neurons, revealing differences in how individual cells handle proteins. This discovery may lead to improved treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.
Scientists have identified a genetic cause of diffuse non-epidermolytic palmoplantar keratoderma (NEPPK), a rare skin condition characterized by white and spongy hands and feet when exposed to water. The AQP5 gene mutation affects aquaporin 5 protein, leading to increased water permeability in the skin.
CNIC researchers have identified a possible treatment to block the deposition of calcium in arterial walls, a key symptom of premature aging disease. Chronic treatment with pyrophosphate inhibits calcium deposition, which is accelerated in mice with Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome.
Research finds that spontaneous genetic mutations are a major cause of congenital heart disease, accounting for 10% of severe cases. The mutations affect genes involved in regulating gene expression and DNA packaging, leading to increased risk of heart defects.
A mutant protein variant called Progerin impairs cells by reducing nuclear levels of RanGTPase and limiting nuclear import of large cargoes. This exclusion may contribute to cellular defects in Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria syndrome (HGPS).
Giant axonal neuropathy is caused by mutations in the gigaxonin gene, leading to accumulation of neurofilament proteins. The study shows that gigaxonin regulates neurofilament protein degradation, shedding light on the molecular pathology of GAN.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine found how a gout-linked genetic mutation causes disease by breaking a cellular pump that clears uric acid waste. They identified a compound that partially repairs the pump in laboratory tests.
Researchers have found new candidate disease proteins for neurodegenerative disorders, including two RNA-binding proteins with prion-like segments associated with inherited forms of ALS and multisystem proteinopathy. Mutations in these proteins accelerate the formation of self-organizing fibrils that contribute to disease.
Researchers found that mutations in MECP2 gene at specific locations influence disease symptoms and progression. Mice studies revealed a difference in symptoms between mice with mutations at amino acids 270 and 273.
Researchers at the University of Montreal have identified a chemical chain that causes neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and dementia. Increasing another cell chemical called progranulin has been shown to reduce neuron death by combating mutant huntingtin protein accumulation.
Researchers discover Grp94 protein interferes with clearance of mutated myocilin, a leading cause of hereditary juvenile-onset and adult-onset glaucoma. Inhibiting Grp94 may lead to new treatment options for patients suffering from myocilin glaucoma.
A study in The Journal of General Physiology reveals that CFTR's mechanism is akin to ABC transporters, with ATP hydrolysis underlying its unidirectional cycling. This finding provides new evidence for the functionality of a protein crucial to cystic fibrosis research.
A new blood test has been developed to measure levels of the toxic protein that causes Huntington's disease, which builds up gradually in blood cells over time. The research found that levels of mutant huntingtin protein corresponded to brain shrinkage, and may help explain how damage accumulates, eventually causing symptoms.
Researchers have discovered a genetic process that can restore function to a defective protein responsible for cystic fibrosis. By manipulating a specific microRNA network, they were able to partially restore the protein's function and increase its production.
A new gene-silencing strategy has reversed core symptoms of Huntington's disease in animal models, suggesting a potential treatment approach for the neurodegenerative disorder. The therapy, involving antisense oligonucleotides, produced sustained benefits with minimal side effects.
Researchers discovered a mutation in the p150glued protein linked to hereditary motor neuropathy 7B (HMN7B) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), disrupting cargo transport in neurons. The study found that when this protein is compromised, control of cargo transport is lost, leading to disease.
Researchers at the University of Alberta have discovered a genetic mutation that can predict heart failure in certain individuals. The team, led by Howard Young, will screen blood samples from 750 patients to identify mutations in phospholamban, a protein linked to heart disease.
A new protein-based antiviral approach has been developed to combat deadly flu epidemics, neutralizing vulnerable sites on H1N1 and H5N1 viruses. This innovative method uses manufactured genes as therapeutics, designed using computer-aided design and optimized through DNA deep sequencing.
Researchers discovered that mutated desmin proteins can aggregate with intact proteins of the same kind, leading to muscle diseases. This finding suggests that a single defective gene is enough to trigger the disease, as both malformed and normal proteins are incorporated into the aggregates.
Researchers at Brown University have discovered a new signaling molecule, Gbb38, that plays a crucial role in tissue formation in flies. The study suggests possible links to human developmental disorders, such as cleft lip and palate, and may lead to improved therapeutics for bone repair and reconstruction.
Researchers have developed a mutated version of the IL-2 protein that enhances its anti-cancer efficacy while reducing severe side effects. The new molecule, dubbed Super-2, has been shown to outperform natural IL-2 in slowing tumor growth and minimizing pulmonary edema.
Researchers at Sanford-Burnham discovered a chemical compound that inhibits the mutant form of LYP, a protein implicated in multiple autoimmune diseases. The findings suggest a new potential therapy for autoimmune diseases, including Type I diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.
Researchers have developed an algorithm to predict how and when proteins misfold, leading to neurodegenerative diseases. The algorithm helps scientists understand protein dynamics and may aid in developing treatments for currently incurable diseases.
Researchers at Purdue University have discovered a protein mutation that disrupts the protective function of DJ-1, a key player in preventing neuronal death in Parkinson's disease. This finding may lead to new treatment strategies by targeting this error in the protein.
A new study found that mutations in a gene called NAGPA, which affects lysosomal function, are associated with persistent stuttering. The research provides evidence that impairment in cellular recycling centers may play a role in causing some people to stutter.
Researchers at University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine discovered a new human gene, TAF15, similar to TDP-43 and FUS, that may contribute to ALS pathology. The study used yeast as a model organism to identify potential disease genes associated with the neurodegenerative disease.
Researchers have discovered that normal Htt protein regulates the formation of cilia, which are longer and disorganized in patients with Huntington disease. This finding suggests that abnormal cilia may contribute to some symptoms of the disorder.
Researchers at Tel Aviv University identified the genetic defect responsible for adermatoglyphia, a rare condition where individuals lack fingerprints. The study found that a skin-specific gene mutation affects fingerprint development, leading to reduced sweat gland function and abnormal fingerprints.
Researchers at MIT and Carnegie Mellon used molecular modeling and simulation to study the behavior of lamin A protein tails, finding that mutant protein tails are actually more stable than healthy counterparts. The discovery validates the application of civil engineering methodology to studying diseased cells.
Researchers identified parkin as a regulator of fat uptake by liver cells, impacting blood fat levels and potentially linking to Parkinson's disease. The study found that increased parkin protein levels are associated with high-fat diets and mutant human cells.
Researchers at Mayo Clinic discovered a genetic mutation in VPS35 that causes Parkinson's disease, leading to protein buildup in the brain. This finding opens up new avenues for understanding and treating the complex disease.
Researchers identified a pathogenic mutation in the VPS35 gene associated with late-onset Parkinson's disease, implicating a novel protein-recycling pathway in neurodegeneration. The study provides new insights into the disease's pathogenesis and highlights the potential for therapeutic intervention.