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These papers were selected from multiple disciplines from the Faculty of 1000, a Web-based literature awareness tool http://www.facultyof1000.com.

L.T. Vassilev et al., "In vivo activation of the p53 pathway by small-molecule antagonists of MDM2," Science, 303:844–8, Feb. 6, 2004.

This paper is important because it challenges the conventional wisdom that protein-protein interactions are poor drug targets. p53 ... is inhibited when bound by MDM2. ... It is possible to disrupt the p53-MDM2 interaction in cells with a small organic molecule at low micromolar concentrations.

- William Kaelin, Harvard Medical School

W.C. Winkler et al., "Control of gene expression by a natural metabolite-responsive ribozyme," Nature, 428:281–6, March 18, 2004.

The authors report that glucosamine-6-phosphate (GlcN6P) activates a ribozyme embedded within the 5' untranslated region of the gene encoding its synthesis. This ribozyme cleaves the messenger RNA, thereby suppressing GlcN6P production. ... It will be interesting to see...

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