Molecular corkscrew

Scientists at the Universities of Zurich and Duisburg-Essen have discovered a specific function of the protein p97/VCP. They show that the protein like a corkscrew repaired DNA breaks. This repair mechanism could also be important for cancer therapy. 

Human genome is permanent damage from the environmental exposure. Possible causes of damage are metabolic processes, chemical substances or ionizing radiation such as X-rays. Even a small dose of ionizing radiation can lead to breaks in the DNA double helix. These DNA breaks are repaired normally by the body's own proteins, but they can also lead to cancer if the repair fails.

In the repair of DNA breaks, the protein p97/VCP plays an important role. The research groups of Kristijan Ramadan, Department of Pharmacology, University of Zurich, and Hemmo Meyer, University of Duisburg-Essen have discovered that p97/VCP like a corkscrew, the DNA repair favored. Proteins that accumulate at the break points are first marked with residues of the protein ubiquitin. These residues bind to the protein p97/VCP and removed corkscrew. Thus, the DNA repair can be completed successfully, the precise spatial and temporal distance of the repair proteins of the break point is crucial.

The repair mechanism with p97/VCP and its inhibition could also be of importance for the cancer theory. To the Veterinärpharmakologe Kristijan Ramadan: "By blocking the activity of p97/VCP corkscrew it should be possible to enhance the effects of radiation or chemotherapy." Rays can cause high, usually lethal damage in the DNA of cancer cells. The therapeutic effect could be reinforced if the same cancer cells usually repair mechanism would be inhibited onset with p97/VCP. Kristijan Ramadan concludes: "Perhaps we could then reduce the radiation dose even with their undesirable side effects."