Characterisation of Mcm10 protein as a target for development of new anticancer drugs.

控制DNA复制的蛋白质机制是人体组织中细胞生长的主要调节器，在癌症中经常被解除调节。我们正试图了解这种蛋白质机制的不同部分是如何协同工作的。我们的工作集中在一种名为Mcm10的保守蛋白上，它连接着DNA复制机制的各个部分，对DNA复制过程至关重要。我们最近已经解决了人类Mcm10的分子结构。这种结构是由6个Mcm10分子组成的环状结构。这让我们很好地了解了这种重要的蛋白质是如何同时连接DNA复制机器的部分和DNA的。该结构和强大的多学科方法为Mcm10的分子和细胞生物学研究提供了一个极好的起始平台。最近的进展表明，形成DNA复制机制的蛋白质是开发针对癌症等人类疾病的新疗法的有吸引力的靶标。了解Mcm10的分子蓝图及其在DNA复制过程中的作用将有助于设计新的治疗药物，这些药物将选择性地靶向和消除癌细胞而不损害正常的健康细胞。

The protein machinery controlling DNA replication is a major regulator of cell growth in human tissues and is frequently deregulated in cancer. We are trying to understand how different parts of this protein machinery work together. Our work is focused on a conserved protein called Mcm10, which connects parts of the DNA replication machinery and is vital for the DNA copying process. We have recently solved the molecular structure of human Mcm10. The structure is a ring formed by six Mcm10 molecules. This gives us a very good idea of how this important protein may connect parts of the DNA copy machinery and DNA at the same time. The structure and a powerful multidisciplinary approach give us an excellent starting platform for molecular and cell biology studies of Mcm10. Recent advances show that proteins, which form DNA replication machinery, are attractive targets for the development of new treatments against human disease such as cancer. Understanding the Mcm10’s molecular blueprint and its role in DNA copying process will help in designing novel therapeutic agents, which will selectively target and eliminate cancer cells without damaging normal healthy cells.