Investigating how proteins interact is key to understanding how cells work and communicate. In a new study published in Nature Communications, FMI researchers have provided key insights into how protein interactions are governed and how mutations influence cellular functions.
Proteins are the molecular machines of life, performing tasks ranging from driving chemical reactions to orchestrating cell communication. For these tasks, proteins must bind to the right partners with precision, avoiding mispairings that could disrupt cellular processes and lead to disease.
Scientists have long been curious about how changes in the sequence of amino acids —the building blocks of proteins—can alter a protein’s binding capabilities. To investigate this question, researchers in the Diss lab analyzed the effects of all possible mutations in a single protein across its interactions with an entire family of partner proteins. They focused on a protein called JUN, which plays a key role in DNA binding and cellular communication.
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