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300 proteins regulating cell division mapped for cancer research

Together with SciLifeLab group leader Emma Lundberg (KTH), researchers have mapped 300 proteins associated with regulating cell division. The study has been published in Nature and the researchers hope that the data will be able to help in the fight against cancer. 

By continuously mapping these proteins and their functions, Emma Lundberg hopes to push the development of tailor-made cancer drugs and treatments. 

The researchers also reported that they have found evidence for variations in gene expression between otherwise identical cells in one-fifth of the human proteome. This is important information regarding our current understanding of the cell cycle balance between cell proliferation promoting proteins and inhibitor proteins.

Their work has already been incorporated into the Human Protein Atlas, an open-access multinational database for researchers and a SciLifeLab Research Community program.

“Our hope is that this provides a valuable resource for a better understanding of, among other things: cell-to-cell variation, the human cell cycle, and the newly-identified proteins in the cell cycle and their role in the formation of tumors”, says Emma Lundberg in a press release from KTH.

Immunofluorescent microscopy was used to find proteins specific to the cell cycle, which was then combined with RNA sequencing of individual cells. In this way the researchers mapped the presence of RNA and proteins throughout the cell cycle over time.

In total, 19 researchers from SciLifeLab (KTH) were involved in the study

Read the original press release from KTH here


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Last updated: 2021-03-04

Content Responsible: David Gotthold(david.gotthold@scilifelab.se)