Cancer-Related Cell Enzyme (IMAGE)
Caption
New insight into the function of an enzyme related to the BRCA1 breast-cancer protein is published in the Oct. 30, 2014 print edition of the journal Nature. The study by a Penn State University team led by Song Tan, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at Penn State, produced the first detailed working image of an enzyme in a group that is associated with many types of cancer. The researchers obtained the first crystal structure of a gene-regulation enzyme working on a nucleosome. The image reveals previously unknown information about how the enzyme attaches to its nucleosome target.
This image is the first detailed picture of the crystal structure of a gene-regulation enzyme while it is working on a nucleosome -- a fundamental component of the chromosomes that provide structure and organization for an organism's genes. Nucleosomes are key targets of the enzymes that conduct genetic processes critical for life. This image reveals the crystal structure of the PRC1 enzyme (yellow, blue and red) bound to the nucleosome (DNA in light blue, histone proteins in purple, light green, light yellow and pink) This image was obtained in the lab of Song Tan at Penn State University and is published in the print edition of the journal Nature on Oct. 30, 2014.
Credit
Song Tan lab, Penn State University
Usage Restrictions
The image credit must be published along with the image.
License
Licensed content