MemberHighlight✨
Prof. Dr. Friederike Zunke, a project leader in GB.com, and her colleague PD Dr. Philipp Arnold have made major strides in understanding Parkinson’s disease.
Mutations in the enzyme β-glucocerebrosidase (GCase) are known to increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease twentyfold and also cause Gaucher’s disease. Using cutting-edge electron microscopy, the team resolved the atomic structure of GCase and discovered that the enzyme becomes active only when bound to its transporter, LIMP-2.
This groundbreaking discovery opens the door to potential new therapies targeting the GCase–LIMP-2 complex, which plays a key role in cellular waste degradation within lysosomes. Their research is supported by funding from the Michael J. Fox Foundation.
With millions affected by Parkinson’s and no cure currently available, these findings offer new hope for future treatment strategies..
Source: Arnold/Zunke