The research team at Kaist identified the basic genes of gene expression regulated by key proteins, which basically drive phenomena such as cancer development, metastases, tissue differentiation from stem cells and neural activation processes. This discovery is the basis for developing innovative therapeutic technologies.
On January 22, Kaist (represented by the President of Kwang Hyung Lee) announced that a joint research team led by professors Seyuna Kim, Gwanrog Lee and Won-KO from the Biological Sciences Department discovered the basic mechanisms that control the expression of genes in cell animals.
The metabolites of the inositol phosphate produced by the enzymes of inositol metabolism serve as important secondary messengers in eukaryotic cell signaling systems and are widely involved in cancer, obesity, diabetes and neurological disorders.
The research team has shown that the enzyme of inositol polyphosphate (IPMK), a key player in the inositol metabolism system, acts as a critical transcription activator in the expression networks of animal cell genes. In particular, although it was previously reported that IPMK plays an important role in the transcriptional process regulated by the serum response factor (SRF), a representative transcription factor in animal cells, the precise mechanism of its operation was unclear.
SRF is a transcription factor directly controlling the expression of at least 200-300 genes, regulating growth, proliferation, apoptosis and mobility, and is necessary for the development of organs such as in the heart.
The band discovered that IPMK is directly related to SRF, changing the three -dimensional structure of SRF protein. This interaction facilitates the transcriptional activity of various genes through SRF activated by IPMK, which shows that IPMK acts as a critical regulatory switch to increase the activity of SRF protein.
The team also verified that disruptions in direct interaction between IPMK and SRF lead to reduced functionality and SRF activity, causing serious impairment of gene expression.
Emphasizing the importance of an internally disordered region (IDR) in SRF, scientists emphasized the biological importance of internally disordered proteins (IDP). Unlike most proteins, which take separate structures by folding, IDP, including those from IDR, do not show specific structures, but play key biological roles, attracting significant attention in the scientific community.
Professor Seyun Kim commented: “This study is a necessary mechanism that proves that IPMK, a key enzyme in the inositol metabolism system, is the main activator of transcription in the basic network of expression of gene genes animal cells, tissue differentiation from stem cells and nervous activation through SRF, we hope that This discovery will lead to a wide application of innovative therapeutic technologies. “
The research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Mid Career Research Program, the leading program of the Research Center and Global Research Laboratory Program, as well as by Suh Kyungba Science Foundation and the Samsung Future Technology technology development program.