Unraveling the Mystery of Endoplasmic Reticulum-Associated Protein Degradation
The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an essential organelle for many cellular functions. Recently, a team of researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago have discovered a new pathway for protein degradation associated with the endoplasmic reticulum. This newly discovered pathway may help control protein levels in the cell and provide insight into how cells maintain homeostasis.
The researchers found that the ER-associated protein degradation (ERAD) pathway can target proteins that are misfolded or otherwise damaged. This process helps to prevent the accumulation of these proteins, which can lead to diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s. The researchers also identified several proteins involved in this pathway and are now working to understand how they interact to control the degradation of proteins in the cell.
This new discovery provides an important insight into how cells regulate protein levels and could help in the development of treatments for diseases caused by misfolded proteins.
source: Phys.org