Crystal structure of PKG I suggests a new activation mechanism
Protein kinases, most scientists would agree, regulate nearly every aspect of cell life. It is no surprise, then, that having faulty protein kinases may lead to a number of human conditions, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes. Kinases form a large family. Some of its members have similar structures, which has led some researchers to propose that the activity of these kinases is probably regulated in a similar manner and, therefore, may be targeted with similar medications. In a paper published in the journal Structure, a multidisciplinary team from Baylor College of Medicine, the University of Kassel, the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the University of California, San Diego have discovered that this may not always be the case.