The p53 family of genes includes p53, p63, and p73. Since the discovery of p73 and p63 almost ten years ago numerous studies have identified significant similarities as well as differences among the three related genes. However, the study of the roles of p73 (and p63) in cancer and other cellular processes has been complicated by the discovery that numerous protein isoforms are encoded by each of these genes (reviewed in ref. 1), The p73 gene encodes p73 proteins that vary at the N-terminus as a result of utilization of two different promoters. In addition, further complexity exists due to C-terminal alternative splicing. In total, the p73 gene can theoretically encode more than 30 proteins; although only 14 have been shown to exist in cells at either the mRNA or protein level.
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