Most cancers are caused by a large variety of factors that vary from one person to another. To unravel this complexity, genes that contribute to the development of a respective cancer must be identified. Such genes are called oncogenes. A good example of an oncogene is CDK8: Cyclin-dependent kinase 8. Misregulated CDK8 is an important factor in the development of colon, breast and skin cancer. Hence, in recent years considerable efforts have been undertaken to develop drugs that specifically target CDK8 and that do not affect other molecules that are closely related to CDK8, but are essential for the survival of human cells. A research team at the University of Bayreuth led by biochemist Dr. Claus-D. Kuhn has now discovered how CDK8 is activated in healthy humans. The research results are published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences U.S.A. Apart from novel basic biochemical insights, the presented results suggest a new method by which CDK8-specific inhibitors could be developed in future.
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