2 new target proteins identified
Researchers from the University of Montreal tell us how our muscles form and repair themselves and, in doing so, identify 2 key proteins that regulate the singular choreography of stem cell-derived cells, myoblasts, which come together to the point of compressing their membranes cells and form muscle tissue. Work presented in Nature Communications which thus designates 2 new valuable targets not only for accelerating muscle healing but also for treating rare muscle diseases.
All vertebrates need muscles to function. Muscles are the most abundant tissue in the human body and skeletal muscles attached to our bones allow our body to move. Whether in the developing embryo or in a professional athlete, it is the same sequence that leads to their formation. The main author, researcher Jean-François Côté, director of the "Cytoskeleton" at the Montreal Clinical Research Institute (IRCM), explains: "In vertebrates, cells derived from stem cells, called myoblasts, align first and come close to the point of touching and compressing their cell membranes”.
2 proteins essential for the development of skeletal muscle: these proteins, ClqL4 and Stabilin-2 allow myoblasts to fuse together to create a large cell. This phenomenon of cell fusion is very specific to certain tissues, in particular the placenta, to the remodeling of our bones and to the formation and repair of muscles. To build and repair muscles, myoblasts must perform their movements with great care. No false movement is allowed, otherwise it's muscle dysfunction. ClqL4 and Stabilin-2 regulate this singular choreography and guarantee the success of this delicate sequence. Working as a team, the 2 proteins will indeed slow down and trigger, respectively, cell fusion at key moments. And their role is crucial, underline the researchers in their press release: “if the timing of the myoblasts is interrupted, the muscles will not be the right size and their function will be affected.
This is what happens in muscular diseases characterized by weakness making certain movements difficult.
The discovery of these proteins has already given rise to a follow-up study: the researchers want to verify that these proteins can be a therapeutic target for muscle repair or the treatment of rare muscle diseases such as myopathies and muscular dystrophies.
What two drugs target protein synthesis?
Macrolide and Azalide Antibiotics
This group of protein synthesis inhibitors, the most notable of which is erythromycin, acts on protein elongation, rather than initiation. They have a broad spectrum of action, and affect a wide range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.
Why proteins are drug targets?
Because of their role in cells, most of the drug targets are proteins. Drugs work by binding specifically to a protein.
What are the 4 types of drug targets?
ABSTRACT. The four main targets for drug action: receptors, ion channels, enzymes, carrier molecules. In each of these four cases, most drugs are effective because they bind to particular target proteins.
How are target proteins used?
Target proteins are functional biomolecules that are addressed and controlled by biologically active compounds. They are used in the processes of transduction, transformation and conjugation.
How many types of protein targeting are there?
There are two types of targeting peptides, the presequences and the internal targeting peptides. The presequences of the targeting peptide are often found at the N-terminal extension and is composed of between 6-136 basic and hydrophobic amino acids.
How do you identify a drug target?
The various databases help scientists to find information about target property, chemical property or on genome level. The biological assay, such as RNAi, RNA sequencing, DNA microarray, and Gal4/UAS system, is commonly used to identify the target in recent years.
What are typical examples of protein targets?
At present, the most frequent protein targets for which successful drugs have been developed include proteases, kinases, G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and nuclear hormone receptors (Drews, 2000; Imming et al., 2006).
What is target protein in drug discovery?
In order for a protein to have any potential as a drug target it must be druggable. A druggable protein is one that possesses folds that favour interactions with small drug-like molecules, be they endogenous or extraneous, and therefore is one that contains a binding site .
How do you identify target proteins?
According to the shift in the molecular weight of the proteins from the two groups, the specific target proteins can be easily identified by comparing the relative protein abundances between the two groups.
