By Irene Hsiao
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a small molecule abundantly found in the cytoplasm and nucleoplasm of all living cells, is primarily known as the energy currency for most cellular functions. It also has a crucial role in cytoskeletal integrity, acts as a signaling molecule, and serves as the source of adenosine in RNA and DNA. In their recent Science paper, teams led by Yamuna Krishnan and Anthony A. Hyman of the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology & Genetics show that ATP also solubilizes hydrophobic proteins in cells, preventing them from aggregating and dissolving proteins that have amassed together, thus helping to maintain an active and functioning cellular milieu.