Cell development: Researchers at NUI Galway are using baker's yeast to better understand how breast and ovarian cancer develop. They have recently discovered new ways in which protective proteins in the cell interact with genetic material to detect and fix damage which, if left unchecked, could eventually lead to cancer.
As well as being a common kitchen staple, baker's yeast or Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a well characterised and easily accessible model of how cells keep control over their growth and development.
They are simple organisms to work with and have many cellular processes in common with humans, according to Dr Muriel Grenon, a senior post-doctoral researcher at NUI Galway's Department of Biochemistry. "We are studying mechanisms that are conserved between yeast and human. It doesn't look like it, but there are very many things that are similar," she said.
As cells grow and divide to produce more cells, they mount checkpoints where they assess the integrity of their DNA and repair any damage. "You have the sensing step to detect the damage, then you have to activate the whole machinery and then you have the target to arrest the cell [ growth] cycle and induce the repair," said Ms Grenon. "In humans if the integrity of the genetic information is compromised it can lead to disease and cancer. That is why it is important to know how it works."
Checkpoint mechanisms are alike in yeast and human cells and the Galway group led by Prof Noel Lowndes looks at the yeast checkpoint protein Rad-9, which is similar to human proteins that are believed to protect against breast and ovarian cancer.
They have discovered new ways in which Rad-9 attaches itself to the packaging around DNA to carry out its functions in repairing damage. They are also looking at Rad-9's other roles in the checkpoint process, particularly how it is involved early in surveillance following DNA damage.
"Our research is very basic," said Ms Grenon. "This project aims at improving our understanding of the basic cellular mechanisms that lead to human cancer."
The project is now in its second year of funding from Cancer Research Ireland and will cost €117,000 over three years. "The work is proceeding extremely well and producing interesting results. This project demonstrates how basic laboratory research can help our understanding of complex problems in human health," said Dr Patrick Corley, cancer research officer with Cancer Research Ireland.
