Sirtuins known as Sirt2 proteins are enzymes, NAD+-dependent deacetylases. Seven homologues of sirtuins (SIRT 1-7) were identified in mammals, which differ in location in cells, activity, function. They play an important role in metabolic processes, aging processes, growth and proliferation. Researchers have been working to find possibility of modulation of biological activity in treatment of metabolic diseases or age-related diseases. Read full text »

Scientific research on supercomputer simulations of cytochrome P450 has been published in the Biophysical Journal. The article describes a virtual presentation of the actual activity of the enzyme. Simulation was performed to better understand the detoxifying role of the cytochrome P450 and facilitate further studies. Read full text »

Scientists from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have identified an enzyme, which is significant regulator of breast cancer development and metastasis. PTPN23 is intracellular protein, which plays key role in cell signaling and can promote metastases. Read full text »

During previous experiments it has been established that high activity of enzyme lysyl oxidase (LOX) may be responsible for mammary gland cancer spread. Only recently did it turn out that, blocking LOX, an extracellular matrix remodeling enzyme, can stop cancer cells from invading the surrounding tissue and metastasizing to faraway organs. Dr Janine Erler, team leader at the British Institute of Cancer Research, said that though the method has been tested only in vitro and on mice, “LOXL2 is a fantastic drug target, it’s highly likely to be used in a clinical setting (1).” Read full text »