Soluble proteins must protect their structural integrity from water attack by wrapping interactions which imply the clustering of nonpolar residues around the backbone hydrogen bonds. Thus, poorly wrapped hydrogen bonds constitute defects which have been identified as promoters of protein associations since they favor the removal of hydrating molecules. More specifically, a recent study of our ...

Recent studies suggest that acetylation of the p53 tumor suppressor protein is not important for its DNA binding activity, as was previously thought. We discuss here a number of theories as to how this modification may serve to regulate the protein's functions.

Inactivation of the function of tumor suppressor p53 is common in human cancers. In approximately half of human cancers, the tumor suppressor function of p53 is inactivated by deletion or mutation of TP53, the gene encoding p53 protein. In the remaining 50% of human cancers, p53 tumor suppressor function can be effectively inhibited by oncoprotein MDM2 or its homolog MDMX. Since inhibition of p...

As a tumor suppressor protein, p53 plays a crucial role in the cell cycle and in cancer prevention. Almost 50 percent of all human malignant tumors are closely related to a deletion or mutation in p53. The activity of p53 is inhibited by over-active celluar antagonists, especially by the over-expression of the negative regulators MDM2 and MDMX. Protein-protein interactions, or post-translationa...

Nikolaev et al. (this issue of Cell) report the identification of a parkin-like protein, Parc, and its role in anchoring the tumor suppressor protein p53 in the cytoplasm reveals yet another level of control of p53 function. Regulation of the subcellular localization of p53 by Parc may serve as a novel target in treatment of certain types of tumors.

In its wild-type form, p53 is a major tumor suppressor whose function is critical for protection against cancer. Many human tumors carry missense mutations in the TP53 gene, encoding p53. Typically, the affected tumor cells accumulate excessive amounts of the mutant p53 protein. Various lines of evidence indicate that, in addition to abrogating the tumor suppressor functions of wild-type p53, t...

Abstract Introduction Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary brain malignancy in adults. The vast majority of GBM cases maintain wild-type status p53, protein considered to be critical tumor suppressor. How displays such a malignant phenotype despite retaining normal p53 unknown. We also aim translate these molecular findings into therapeutics via randomized clinical trial. METHODS A var...