Hidden switch in cell division may point to new cancer treatments
When a cell gets ready to divide, it shuts down its gene-reading machinery almost entirely.
When a cell gets ready to divide, it shuts down its gene-reading machinery almost entirely.
The short version
- For decades, the mechanism behind that shutdown was only partially understood.
- The findings, recently published in Molecular Cell, may point toward new cancer therapies.
- This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies .
What happened
Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: "As cells prepare to divide, they rapidly shut down most gene reading, or transcription," says Claudio R. Alarcón, associate professor of pharmacology at Yale School of Medicine.
Why it matters
"At that point, the cell needs to focus on dividing." The enzyme at the center of the study is METTL3, which modifies RNA by attaching a small chemical tag.
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