Raymond Deshaies: Protein Recycling: Its Role in Human Biology and Disease

Presented By:

Caltech Committee on Institute Programs

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A muscle cell is different from a nerve cell or a skin cell because each cell expresses a different repertoire of proteins. For many years, it was assumed that this is determined largely by the selective production of different proteins in different types of cells. However, we now appreciate that the selective elimination, or recycling, of proteins also plays a major role in sculpting a cell's compendium of proteins.

Protein recycling is used to eliminate damaged proteins as well as those which have carried out their chemical task and are no longer needed. This crucial aspect of cell metabolism goes awry in a number of debilitating diseases, including neurodegenerative illnesses and cancer. Recent work has shown that drugs that target protein recycling can extend lifespan in some cancer patients, and may have application in treating diseases of the immune system.

Raymond J. Deshaies is Professor of Biology and Executive Officer for Molecular Biology at Caltech, and an Investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Raymond Deshaies