Research

Benkovic's research recognized with Paper of the Week honor

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Journal of Biological Chemistry has featured as its Paper of the Week research led by Stephen J. Benkovic, Evan Pugh Professor of Chemistry and Holder of the Eberly Family Chair in Chemistry at Penn State.

A podcast interview with Benkovic, postdoctoral associate Hong Zhao and Penn State assistant professor of molecular toxicology Andrew Patterson explaining the results of the research is available at http://www.jbc.org/site/podcast/.

The paper, titled "Quantitative Analysis of Purine Nucleotides Indicates That Purinosomes Increase de Novo Purine Biosynthesis," demonstrates that the cellular synthesis of purines -- multifunctional organic compounds that are a building block of DNA, involved in cellular signaling and a source of energy in cells -- is directly related to the presence of complexes known as purinisomes. 

Stephen J. Benkovic the Evan Pugh professor and Ebery Chair in Chemistry. Benkovic is known for his biochemistry research, especially his work on the mechanisms of enzymic reactions. His research has led to the development of a new generation of antifolates for cancer therapy, to an understanding of how the HIV-1 virus develops mutations that contribute to its resistance to AIDS drugs, to insights into how the protein machinery for DNA replication is organized, and to the creation of catalytic antibodies for potential medical applications. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

Last Updated March 24, 2015

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