Grant: Operating Grant

Ubiquitin specific proteases are enzymes that remove a tag (ubiquitin) from specific proteins. These proteases are found in all eukaryotic organisms and are involved in many cellular processes including DNA repair and cell cycle progression, and their malfunction can lead to cancer. There is very little information regarding how these proteases recognize and interact with their target proteins. This research program focuses on understanding the roles of USP7, a tumor suppressor protein, in cancer, using a combination of biochemistry and structural biology. USP7 has been linked to lymphomas and carcinomas (lung and renal), however its ability to cause cancer has not been fully investigated. How USP7 interacts with specific cellular proteins and how lack of interaction with these proteins leads to cancer is being studied. The ability to better understand the structure and function of USP7 may lead to the design of anti-cancer therapeutics or cancer prevention strategies to the benefit of all Canadians. Our research focuses on expanding this knowledge primarily by determining three-dimensional structures of proteases with their target proteins. These structures will reveal the molecular mechanism of interaction and allow for the design of drug therapies to prevent or enhance these interactions.