December 2007

• Cancer cell development: MUC1 MAGic wand

  The MUC1 glycoprotein in cancer cells may support both metastasis by enhanced adhesion to myelin-associated glycoprotein and apoptosis evasion by constitutive nuclear factor-B (NF-B) activation.

  Original research paper: Cancer Res 67, 10222-10029 (2007)
  doi:10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-06-2483

• Virus hemagglutinins: Sticky structures

  The receptor binding sites of both the influenza virus B and the measles virus hemagglutinins (HAs) differ strongly from their closest relatives despite a global structural similarity.

  Original research paper: Nat Struct Mol Biol 14, 1227-1228 (2007)
  doi:10.1038/nsmb1342