New research could one day lead to therapies that prevent or treat diseases and infections tied to a protein that's found in all human cells. A study describes how the protein ubiquitin is modified during a bacterial infection. The study details the steps taken to create a form of the protein known as lysine 6 polyubiquitin, where a long chain of ubiquitin molecules are linked through the amino acid lysine. Previous research has indicated that this form of ubiquitin may be linked to the development of Parkinson's disease and breast cancer.
