Impaired functioning of parkin (protein) causes Parkinson's disease (PD) but, until now, the cellular mechanisms were unclear. EU-supported scientists are shedding light on the issue with important implications for targeted therapies.
Parkin, also known as Parkinson protein 2 (PARK2), is an enzyme that mediates the binding of damaged and excess proteins with molecules called ubiquitin. Ubiquitin acts as a tag, a signal to deport the unwanted proteins to proteasomes where they are degraded. Researchers have identified over 200 mutations in the parkin gene that cause PD. Most of these mutations have been associated with the autosomal-recessive form of juvenile Parkinson's (AR-JP).
Further details: The cellular mechanisms of Parkinson's disease