Regulatory RNA essential to DNA damage response
Tuesday, September 27, 2016 - 03:41
in Biology & Nature
It iss essential for cells to quickly ascertain whether it's possible to repair mistakes or to self-destruct for the good of the organism. That's because cells with a damaged genome often begin to flout the standard rules of growth and become cancerous. Now, researchers have discovered a new player in this high-stakes molecular game in the form of a novel regulatory RNA they've named DINO. This RNA molecule binds to and stabilizes a well-known tumor suppressor protein called p53 that mobilizes a cell's response to DNA damage. When mutated, p53 is one of the most infamous bad guys in the cancer world.