Statins down under

Boning up (or down) on statins.

The enzyme 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase mediates cholesterol biosynthesis by converting HMG-CoA to mevalonic acid. Although the focus has been on its effects on cholesterol, because mevalonic acid is also required for isoprenoid synthesis, it may also affect other important biological processes. Isoprenoids are converted by transferases to farnesyl and geranylgerany...

A dean down under.

South Australia is a progressive state. It has a Premier who seems to be an intelligent intellectual. He heads a Labour government, which therefore has some accord with the central Commonwealth Government of Mr. Gough Whitlam. Our premier, Mr. Don Dunstan, known as "Donnie," is a lawyer who was able to devote an hour's television programme to poetry and his delight in it, and he recited it too....

Statins Inhibit HIV-1 Infection by Down-regulating Rho Activity

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 infectivity requires actin-dependent clustering of host lipid raft-associated receptors, a process that might be linked to Rho guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) activation. Rho GTPase activity can be negatively regulated by statins, a family of drugs used to treat hypercholesterolemia in man. Statins mediate inhibition of Rho GTPases by impeding prenylation ...

Science down under

Your Grandpa Syd (who I hope won't mind my writing to you in this vein) mentioned that you were thinking about a career in Australia, now that your PhD is out of the way, so I'll give the low-down from an insider's point of view. I'll be quite frank, and what I have to tell you might bruise a few egos, so please try to keep it confidential. Of course there are good things about doing science in...

Editorial--ICOPA down under.