Scientists at Van Andel Research Institute (VARI), in Grand Rapids, Michigan, have revealed an important molecular mechanism in plants that has significant similarities to certain signaling mechanisms in humans, which are closely linked to early embryonic development and to diseases such as cancer. In plants, as in animals and humans, intricate molecular networks regulate key biological functions, such as development and stress responses. The system can be likened to a massive switchboard--when the wrong switches are flipped, genes can be inappropriately turned on or off, leading to the onset of diseases. Now, VARI scientists have unraveled how an important plant protein, known as TOPLESS, interacts with other molecules responsible for turning genes off. The findings in plants provide a general model across species for this type of gene silencing, which is linked to several vital biological functions in humans. The discovery was published in the July 3, 2015 issue of Science Advances. The article is titled "Structural Basis for Recognition of Diverse Transcriptional Repressors by the TOPLESS Family of Corepressors." This is really a fundamental discovery--our structure shows the co-repressor TOPLESS interacting with key repressor motifs, which constitutes a major component of gene silencing in plants," said Van Andel Research Institute's Karsten Melcher, Ph.D., one of the study's corresponding authors. "Understanding this interaction in plants gives us unique insight into similar pathways in humans that involve these proteins, which are notoriously tough to investigate." Using X-ray crystallography, the team determined the three-dimensional structure of TOPLESS, both on its own and when linked with other molecules responsible for turning genes off, thereby regulating gene expression.Login Or Register To Read Full Story