Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

posted by martyb on Sunday May 10 2015, @08:39AM   Printer-friendly
from the protein-powah dept.

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have made discoveries that may lead to better cancer treatment (including improved chemotherapy).

A method to help shorten the road to better cancer treatment has been developed by an international team of researchers. When DNA is damaged, several different proteins start pouring in to repair the damage; their types depend on the damage done. Up until now, it has been common practice to study one protein at a time, but by way of so-called mass spectrometry, researchers are now able to simultaneously see all the proteins that help repair damaged DNA.

[...]The article in Science describes chemotherapy-induced DNA damage, because the researchers wanted to relate their findings to the treatment of cancer. By using this method, Niels Mailand and his research team have discovered that two specific and hitherto un-described proteins play an important part in repairing damaged DNA.

“This new method enables us to quickly get an overview of the entire bag of proteins that are important in terms of repairing damaged DNA. In this process, we have discovered that the two proteins have a specific part to play and attract certain necessary elements to a given spot where DNA-repairs are taking place. In other words, this new technique allows us to put the puzzle together much quicker...”

Abstract of source article (which is paywalled) is here.

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.