Structural biology of the tumour suppressor p53 and its complexes

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The body has defence mechanisms against cancer that involve a protein called p53. This protein also has important roles in many other biological processes, ranging from fertility to ageing. When p53 receives signals that a cell is becoming cancerous, the protein sets into action a train of events that eventually lead to the cancer cell being destroyed. For cancer cells to survive, the activities of p53 have to be eliminated. About half of human cancers have their p53 being disabled by a mutation, most likely caused by environmental damage or radiation. In many cancers, there are raised levels of proteins that inactivate or destroy p53. Our studies examine the shapes of p53 and the other proteins and how they all fit together. These studies will provide fundamental information for designing new anti-cancer drugs that will protect p53.