NUS scientists discover that modifications to protein RUNX3 may promote cancer growth

(National University of Singapore) Scientists from the Cancer Science Institute of Singapore at the National University of Singapore have discovered that a modification called phosphorylation made to a protein called RUNX3 may promote cancer progression by allowing cell division. The phosphorylation, or the addition of a phosphate group to a molecule, is carried out by an enzyme called Aurora Kinase, which has been observed to be present in unusually high levels in some cancers.