DNA replication: Molecular mechanism indicates novel routes to block uncontrolled cell division&New mechanism for neurodegeneration found 

Biology foldingProfessor: Lina María Martinez Ana María Ortiz GilIII Semester – MedicineUniversidad Pontificia Bolivariana2014

IntroductionIntroduction Over the years many

experiments have been executed in order to find the exact point where the process of duplicating the genetic material is regulated so they can have an initial point to start developing different ways to stop it.

These two studies reveal new discovering in the genetic field that will first, help us understand the importance of molecular researching nowadays; and second, let the world know that, by doing this experiments, science is everyday closer to the answers that the medical world is needing.

DNA replication: Molecular mechanism indicates novel routes to block uncontrolled cell division

In this study a group of scientists from MRC Clinical Sciences Centre perfom an experiment where, being based in previous theories, they revealed where does a crucial enzyme of the replication start processing the DNA helix..

DNA replication: Molecular mechanism indicates novel routes to block uncontrolled cell division

For a cell to divide it is necessary that the genetic material is duplicated so the

resulting cell has the same information as the

previous one. The process of dividing needs to have

specific machinery composed by proteins

and leaded by the helicase.

DNA replication: Molecular mechanism indicates novel routes to block uncontrolled cell division

The helicase captures the DNA into its ring

structure, unfolds and separates it so the next proteins can work on the

duplication process. Although this had been

perfectly known, the exact way it worked had

remained a mystery.

DNA replication: Molecular mechanism indicates novel routes to block uncontrolled cell division

By using sophisticated technology the research exposed the pinpoint of the helicase work.

Since it is a gated system, there’s a specific gate where the DNA enters the enzyme; the point is located between the connection of MCM2-5 and it’s in there where we could talk about a main check-point of the process that if it could be regulated the cancer cell growth would be inhibited.

DNA replication: Molecular mechanism indicates novel routes to block uncontrolled cell division

In my opinion, one of the most remarkable facts about this article is that they show how the cooperation between different studies is what allows the real success of a scientific process. And that is exemplified in this research where they accomplish the final objective of a long investigation.

New mechanism for neurodegeneration found

All the cells in the human body need proteins to develop any metabolic process they need to

survive. Even the protein production system itself is composed by a mechanism leaded by enzymes (which

are also proteins) that translate the genetic

material into new different proteins to be used in multiple processes.

New mechanism for neurodegeneration found

This group of scientists found, by experimenting

with sick mice, that neurodegeneration can be caused by a mutation in a gene that encodes one of

the most important proteins for the translation process in the neurological

system; the tRNA. The mutation impairs the protein production in

neurons.

New mechanism for neurodegeneration found

Besides revealing the mutation on the tRNA’s

gene, they found also that another defect is

necessary for neurodegeneration to

appear and proteins are also involved. In this case the neurological disease

requires another protein to be missing; the GTPBP2.

New mechanism for neurodegeneration found

Even if the study could accomplish the objective

of learning how the disease is caused in mice;

the same process in higher organisms as humans is harder to

understand since tRNAs are much more diverse

and there are more genes that could codify for the

enzyme.

New mechanism for neurodegeneration found

In my opinion, even if the study was not directly done

in humans; learning the pathophysiology of

determined diseases in simpler organisms

represents the foundations for future studies that aim to

get every time closer to human solutions.

DNA replication: Molecular mechanism indicates novel routes to block uncontrolled cell division

Since cancer is nowadays one of the main causes of morbimortality, this discovering is crutial in the long way to find a

real cure for the disease, which would certainly be

one of the greatest aacomplishments in

medical history.

DNA replication: Molecular mechanism indicates novel routes to block uncontrolled cell division

Showing the medical and scientific world the

importance of learning the molecular systems of

determined diseases, can encourage more scientists to keep on

working together to find new treatments and

cures.

New mechanism for neurodegeneration found

The study of neurological diseases has a huge medical utility since those

conditions are attacking giant

populations all over the world.

New mechanism for neurodegeneration found

As it’s been said before, neurodegeneration is

possibly the main cause of most of the neurological diseases that are being diagnosed nowadays.

That’s why the developing of these researches has an

inmense utility, since they’re everytime closer to

find a cure.

REFERENCESREFERENCES[http://www.sciencedaily.com/

releases/2014/07/140731200952.htm] Checked : August 4th 2014. “DNA replication: Molecular mechanism indicates novel routes to block uncontrolled cell division”

 [http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140724144251.htm] Checked: August 8th 2014. “New mechanism for degeneration found”