Research Topic · Peer-Reviewed

Farnesylation

Farnesylation is a post-translational modification in which a 15-carbon isoprenoid lipid molecule called farnesyl pyrophosphate is covalently attached to specific cysteine residues in target proteins, enabling their membrane association and biological activity. This enzymatic process is essential for the proper func…

Curated from this journal's research 📚 1 peer-reviewed article cited Cited 8× across the literature 🔖 ISSN 2377-2549 🗓 Reviewed June 2026

Overview

Farnesylation is a post-translational modification in which a 15-carbon isoprenoid lipid molecule called farnesyl pyrophosphate is covalently attached to specific cysteine residues in target proteins, enabling their membrane association and biological activity. This enzymatic process is essential for the proper function of numerous cellular proteins, including members of the Ras superfamily of small GTPases that regulate cell growth, differentiation, and survival. Research published in New Developments in Chemistry has examined farnesylation in the context of cancer therapeutics, specifically investigating how bisphosphonate compounds like alendronate—traditionally used to treat bone disorders—may exert anticancer effects by interfering with the mevalonate pathway that produces farnesyl pyrophosphate. The journal's work has explored this mechanism in breast cancer cell models through in vitro experimentation, contributing to understanding how disruption of protein farnesylation might represent a therapeutic strategy. The topic matters because aberrant farnesylation, particularly of oncogenic Ras proteins, plays a critical role in tumor development and progression, making the farnesylation pathway a rational target for drug development and repurposing existing pharmaceutical agents for cancer treatment.

Research published in this journal

1 peer-reviewed article, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.

How this research is being cited

The 1 article above has been cited 8 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.

A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Farnesylation, linking to each citing work.

Editorial oversight

Curated from peer-reviewed research published in New Developments in Chemistry (ISSN 2377-2549).

Journal editorial board
Annarita Del Gatto · Italy Bharat Gurale · United States Palani ELUMALAI · United Kingdom

This page summarises published research for orientation; it is not medical or professional advice.