参与艾滋病毒形成的蛋白质结构图完成
文章来源:未知 文章作者:meng 发布时间:2010-06-10 03:21 字体: [ ]  进入论坛
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Researchers at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine and University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) have created a three-dimensional picture of an important protein that is involved in how HIV -- the virus responsible for AIDS -- is produced inside human cells. The picture may help researchers design drugs that can prevent HIV from reproducing. The research team, led by David Price, Ph.D., UI professor of biochemistry, and Tahir Tahirov, Ph.D., professor of structural1 biology at the Eppley Institute at UNMC, combined expertise2(专门技术) in protein chemistry and X-ray crystallography(结晶学) -- a technique for observing protein structures -- to produce the first crystal structure of the HIV protein called Tat. The structure shows Tat attached to the human protein (P-TEFb) that the virus hijacks3 during infection.

The structure shows how Tat latches4 on to this particular human protein and how the interaction alters the shape of the human protein. The study is published in the June 10 issue of the journal Nature.

"We have solved the long sought-after structure of an important HIV protein," Price said. "Now that we know the details of the interaction between Tat and P-TEFb, it may be possible to design inhibitors that target P-TEFb only when it is interacting with Tat."

This distinction(差别,区别) is important because although inhibiting5 P-TEFb blocks replication of the HIV virus, P-TEFb is a vital protein in human cells and inhibiting it kills cells. If an inhibitor could be designed that distinguishes between the P-TEFb attached to Tat and the form that is normal in human cells, that drug might target HIV replication without harming normal cell function.

Such compounds could be useful in combination with existing anti-HIV drugs to further reduce viral levels in HIV-infected individuals.

In addition, drugs that target P-TEFb may also be useful in treating drug-resistant HIV, which is a growing problem. The HIV virus mutates very easily and can develop resistance to current drug that target viral proteins. Targeting a human protein like P-TEFb that the virus needs but cannot mutate may be a successful strategy to counter drug-resistant HIV.



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1 structural itXw5     
adj.构造的,组织的,建筑(用)的
参考例句:
  • The storm caused no structural damage.风暴没有造成建筑结构方面的破坏。
  • The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities.北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。
2 expertise fmTx0     
n.专门知识(或技能等),专长
参考例句:
  • We were amazed at his expertise on the ski slopes.他斜坡滑雪的技能使我们赞叹不已。
  • You really have the technical expertise in a new breakthrough.让你真正在专业技术上有一个全新的突破。
3 hijacks 678bf5894e05ba78937af53c72ee0477     
劫持( hijack的名词复数 ); 绑架; 拦路抢劫; 操纵(会议等,以推销自己的意图)
参考例句:
  • Just as life infiltrates matter mercilessly and then hijacks it forever, cultural life hijacks biology. 正如生命无情地浸入物质并永远地将其劫持,文化生命也劫持了生物界。
4 latches 72e582024c502f75cdd8b1b4d69a127f     
n.(门窗的)门闩( latch的名词复数 );碰锁v.理解( latch的第三人称单数 );纠缠;用碰锁锁上(门等);附着(在某物上)
参考例句:
  • The virus latches onto the red blood cells. 这种病毒附着在红细胞上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The opposite end latches onto the pathogen. 相对的一端锁在病原体上。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 预防生物武器
5 inhibiting 11ff588a61bbc2b55de0b4c430fe2824     
抑制作用的,约束的
参考例句:
  • The high cost of borrowing is inhibiting investment by industry in new equipment. 借款的高成本抑制了企业对新设备的投资。
  • The pesticides affect the nervous system by inhibiting the enzyme cholinesterase. 这类农药抑制胆碱酯酶而影响神经系统。
TAG标签: protein virus HIV structure
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