Tumor Suppressors and Breast Cancer: Molecular Interaction of Retinoblastoma Protein (Rb) with a New Rb-binding Protein (RIZ)

摘要

Cancer arises from an accumulation of multiple mutations that may occur in oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes or DNA repair genes. Tumor suppressors control cell cycle and growth and mutations or alterations in these suppressors can be associated with the uncontrolled growth of malignant tumors. In this project, tumor suppressors were studied highlighting a new protein called RlZ. The goal is to use x-ray crystallography to study the molecules. The results will be important to understanding the role of the new regulator protein RlZ in tumorigenesis in breast cancer. This IDEA project focused on the first steps in the process, i.e. production, purification and crystallization of the proteins. Notable progress was made in identifying the PR domain in RlZ that is directly linked to tumor suppression. PR is underexpressed in breast cancer. Feasibility for structural studies of this new protein motif (PR) was established.