p53 is a tumor suppressor protein, and mutations in p53 are common in diverse types of human cancer. p53 is one of the most studied tumor suppressors in the cancer research field. However, standard imaging tools can not work well because the protein is big and floppy. Now, Rommie Amaro at the University of California (UC) used supercomputers to explore p53. Amaro and her team focused on the effects of common mutations in p53. After a lot of work, they found how these mutations further destabilize the floppy protein, distort it and prevent it from binding to DNA. What's more, they found mutated p53 protein might have a small cleft, and compounds that insert into the cleft could stabilize the protein so that if can perform its normal function. These computer simulations may facilitate developing drugs target p53. Scientists have long sought to find small molecules that can restore p53 activity. Cancer is one of the biggest killers of all population in the world. About 50 percent of all cases of cancer involves p53. So p53 has been a hot spot in the field of cancer research. The majority of experimental p53 drugs are only to elevate functional p53. Although a lot of research work has been done, none of the drugs has entered the marketplace. Amaro's team and many other research teams are now designing drugs that bind to and stabilize mutated p53 protein, and thus rescue their function. CusAb offers p53 and other products, such as Recombinant NPY1R
