Proteins in your body are responsible for many aspects of your wellbeing. Whilst millions of cells make repairs, build new structures and deliver important cargo throughout your body, protein kinases are there to ensure your wellness through cell communication, telling them when to begin work and when to stop. However, one part of protein kinases, that was previously thought to be non-functional, has been discovered to be a crucial element of the entire molecule and can help fight a variety of life-threatening diseases, from diabetes to cancer.
The study came from the University of Georgia, and was published in the early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. Natarajan Kannan, a Georgia Cancer Coalition Distinguished Scholar and assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, explained, ‘The overall goal of this project was to better understand how these proteins function and what mechanisms control their function,’ and what the team discovered was that ‘these little-studied dark regions of the protein are directly affecting the molecule’s function.’
When the protein kinases in your body become dysfunctional, they can play a major role in the development of numerous serious diseases, including Alzheimer’s, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and many forms of cancer. Though scientists have known for decades that proteins are valuable therapeutic targets, they are normally prescribed to slow or stop the rogue kinases that cause disease. However, not only does this team of researchers hope to develop new therapies out of their discovery; they also want to improve those already in existence. According to Krishnadev Oruganty, a postdoctoral research associate in biochemistry and molecular biology and lead author of a paper that detailed the study, ‘This opens a new front on the battle against many diseases, particularly cancer’.
Kannan added, ‘This discovery will have a huge impact on how pharmaceutical companies develop drugs, because subtle modifications of these drugs will make it easier to control them, which will boost their effectiveness.’ The team is already working on such treatments, though they warn that they need to research the proteins more thoroughly to perfect their approach. However, Kannan remains optimistic that ‘gaining a deeper understanding of how these kinases work will open doors to a myriad of important new discoveries.’
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