title: Chaperoned by prebiotic inorganic polyphosphate molecules: an ancient transcription-independent mechanism to restore protein homeostasis.
abstract: In this issue, Gray et al. (2014) elegantly demonstrate how cells utilize an oxidation-regulated pathway that depletes cellular ATP, lowers proteostatic burden, and leads to accumulation of prebiotic, inorganic polyphosphates with chaperone-like activity for stress protection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, University Medical Center Groningen and University of Groningen, 9700 RB Groningen, the Netherlands. Electronic address: h.h.kampinga@umcg.nl.
authors.forename: Harm H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Kampinga
mesh_terms: D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018832:Molecular Chaperones / Q000378:metabolism*; D011122:Polyphosphates / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D011122:Polyphosphates