Professor René Ketting's team at the Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) in Mainz, Germany, along with Dr. Sebastian Falk's group at the Max Perutz Labs in Vienna, Austria, have discovered a new enzyme, PUCH, which plays a key role in preventing the spread of parasitic DNA in our genomes. This brea
Scientists have discovered an enzyme named PUCH, crucial in halting the spread of parasitic DNA sequences in our genome. This discovery could provide insights into how our body identifies and combats both internal threats and external ones .
Our cells are under constant attack from millions of foreign intruders, such as viruses and bacteria. To keep us from getting sick, our bodies have an immune system – a whole army of cells that specializes in detecting and destroying these invaders. However, our cells face threats not only from external enemies but also from within.An amazing 45 percent of our genome is comprised of thousands of genomic parasites, i.e., repetitive DNA sequences called transposable elements .
How do our cells combat these internal enemies? Fortunately, our cells have evolved a genomic defense system of specialized proteins whose job it is to hunt down TEs and prevent them from replicating. In a new paper published in, René Ketting and Sebastian Falk together with their research teams report their discovery of PUCH – a completely new, previously unknown type of enzyme, which is key to this genomic defense system.
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Scientists discover a new enzyme that helps cells fight genomic parasitesThe research teams of Professor René Ketting at the Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) in Mainz, Germany, and Dr. Sebastian Falk at the Max Perutz Labs in Vienna, Austria, have identified a new enzyme called PUCH, which plays a key role in preventing the spread of parasitic DNA in our genomes. These findings may reveal new insights into how our bodies detect and fight bacteria and viruses to prevent infections.
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