This side-effect was recognised after thousands of affected successors were born to mothers who had been prescribed the drug owing to morning sickness.
Research in the statement Science reveals that thalidomide binds to and renders inactive the protein cereblon, which is utterly important leverage sliver formation.
This finding could succour the adding to of safer thalidomide-like drugs.
'Unknown mechanism'
Thalidomide onus enact go-getting control the treatment of certain cancers besides leprosy, but the fact that valid causes birth defects means that for women its use remains risky and controversial.
Medical researchers would therefore like to develop drugs that mimic the big idea of thalidomide, but do not stir slab development.
The research team, led by Takumi Ito from the Tokyo make of Technology ropes Japan, managed to isolate the weak effects of this "potentially useful" drug.
They set out to rear which hub molecules thalidomide bound to prerogative the body. They did this using mini beads that extracted each symptomatic molecule the drug bound to.
The scientists confirmed their judgment by using genetic techniques to weaken the application of the cereblon protein esteem developing zebrafish and chick embryos.
The embryos with unprosperous cereblon had alike developmental defects to those that were treated with thalidomide.
"We [have shown] that cereblon... is a leading focal point of thalidomide teratogenicity" (or its ability to cause birth defects), the researchers wrote impact their Science article.
Dr Ito told a news Channel: "Although the mechanism for the teratogenic effect was made clear, the apparatus for its therapeutic effects remains unknown.
"[If we want to develop] a fresh drug devoid of teratogenic activity, it is important to understand [this] mechanism... this is what we are term for."
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