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C-myc
''Myc'' is a family of regulator genes and proto-oncogenes that code for transcription factors. The ''Myc'' family consists of three related human genes: ''c-myc'' ( MYC), ''l-myc'' ( MYCL), and ''n-myc'' ( MYCN). ''c-myc'' (also sometimes referred to as ''MYC'') was the first gene to be discovered in this family, due to homology with the viral gene ''v-myc''. In cancer, ''c-myc'' is often constitutively (persistently) expressed. This leads to the increased expression of many genes, some of which are involved in cell proliferation, contributing to the formation of cancer. A common human translocation involving ''c-myc'' is critical to the development of most cases of Burkitt lymphoma. Constitutive upregulation of ''Myc'' genes have also been observed in carcinoma of the cervix, colon, breast, lung and stomach. Myc is thus viewed as a promising target for anti-cancer drugs. Unfortunately, Myc possesses several features that have rendered it difficult to drug to date, su ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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Burkitt Lymphoma
Burkitt's lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system, particularly B lymphocytes found in the germinal center. It is named after Denis Parsons Burkitt, the Irish surgeon who first described the disease in 1958 while working in equatorial Africa. It is a highly aggressive form of cancer which often, but not always, manifests after a person develops acquired immunodeficiency from infection with Epstein–Barr virus, Epstein-Barr Virus or HIV, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The overall cure rate for Burkitt's lymphoma in developed countries is about 90%. Burkitt's lymphoma is uncommon in adults, in whom it has a worse prognosis. Classification Burkitt lymphoma can be divided into three main clinical variants: the endemic, the Sporadic cancer, sporadic, and the immunodeficiency-associated variants. By morphology (biology), morphology (i.e., microscopic appearance), immunophenotype, and genetics, the variants of Burkitt lymphoma are alike. * The endemic variant (also called " ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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Cellular Reprogramming
Induced pluripotent stem cells (also known as iPS cells or iPSCs) are a type of pluripotent stem cell that can be generated directly from a somatic cell. The iPSC technology was pioneered by Shinya Yamanaka and Kazutoshi Takahashi in Kyoto, Japan, who together showed in 2006 that the introduction of four specific genes (named Myc, Oct3/4, Sox2 and Klf4), collectively known as Yamanaka factors, encoding transcription factors could convert somatic cells into pluripotent stem cells. Shinya Yamanaka was awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize along with Sir John Gurdon "for the discovery that mature cells can be reprogrammed to become pluripotent." Pluripotent stem cells hold promise in the field of regenerative medicine. Because they can propagate indefinitely, as well as give rise to every other cell type in the body (such as neurons, heart, pancreatic, and liver cells), they represent a single source of cells that could be used to replace those lost to damage or disease. The most wel ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Induced pluripotent stem cells (also known as iPS cells or iPSCs) are a type of pluripotent stem cell that can be generated directly from a somatic cell. The iPSC technology was pioneered by Shinya Yamanaka and Kazutoshi Takahashi in Kyoto, Japan, who together showed in 2006 that the introduction of four specific genes (named Myc, Oct3/4, Sox2 and Klf4), collectively known as Yamanaka factors, encoding transcription factors could convert somatic cells into pluripotent stem cells. Shinya Yamanaka was awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize along with Sir John Gurdon "for the discovery that mature cells can be reprogrammed to become pluripotent." Pluripotent stem cells hold promise in the field of regenerative medicine. Because they can propagate indefinitely, as well as give rise to every other cell type in the body (such as neurons, heart, pancreatic, and liver cells), they represent a single source of cells that could be used to replace those lost to damage or disease. The most w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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MAX (gene)
''MAX'' (also known as myc-associated factor X) is a gene that in humans encodes the MAX transcription factor. Function The protein product of ''MAX'' contains the basic helix-loop-helix and leucine zipper motifs. It is therefore included in the bHLHZ family of transcription factors. It is able to form homodimers with other MAX proteins and heterodimers with other transcription factors, including Mad, Mxl1 and Myc. The homodimers and heterodimers compete for a common DNA target site (the E-box) in a gene promoter zone. Rearrangement of dimers (e.g., Mad:Max, Max:Myc) provides a system of transcriptional regulation with greater diversity of gene targets. Max must dimerise in order to be biologically active. Transcriptionally active hetero- and homodimers involving Max can promote cell proliferation as well as apoptosis. Interactions The protein product of Max has been shown to interact with: * Myc, * MNT, * MSH2, * MXD1, * MXI1, * MYCL1, * N-Myc, * SPAG9, * T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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N-Myc
N-myc proto-oncogene protein also known as N-Myc or basic helix-loop-helix protein 37 (bHLHe37), is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''MYCN'' gene. Function The ''MYCN'' gene is a member of the MYC family of transcription factors and encodes a protein with a basic helix-loop-helix ( bHLH) domain. This protein is located in the cell nucleus and must dimerize with another bHLH protein in order to bind DNA. N-Myc is highly expressed in the fetal brain and is critical for normal brain development. The ''MYCN'' gene has an antisense RNA, N-cym or ''MYCNOS'', transcribed from the opposite strand which can be translated to form a protein product. N-Myc and ''MYCNOS'' are co-regulated both in normal development and in tumor cells, so it is possible that the two transcripts are functionally related. It has been shown that the antisense RNA encodes for a protein, named NCYM, that has originated ''de novo'' and is specific to human and chimpanzee. This NCYM protein inhibits GSK ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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Chromosomal Translocation
In genetics, chromosome translocation is a phenomenon that results in unusual rearrangement of chromosomes. This includes "balanced" and "unbalanced" translocation, with three main types: "reciprocal", "nonreciprocal" and "Robertsonian" translocation. Reciprocal translocation is a chromosome abnormality caused by exchange of parts between non-homologous chromosomes. Two detached fragments of two different chromosomes are switched. Robertsonian translocation occurs when two non-homologous chromosomes get attached, meaning that given two healthy pairs of chromosomes, one of each pair "sticks" and blends together homogeneously. Each type of chromosomal translocation can result in disorders for growth, function and the development of an individuals body, often resulting from a change in their genome. A gene fusion may be created when the translocation joins two otherwise-separated genes. It is detected on cytogenetics or a karyotype of affected cells. Translocations can be bala ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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E-box
An E-box (enhancer box) is a Response element, DNA response element found in some eukaryotes that acts as a protein-binding site and has been found to regulate gene expression in neurons, muscles, and other tissues. Its specific DNA sequence, CANNTG (where N can be any nucleotide), with a palindromic canonical sequence of CACGTG, is recognized and bound by transcription factors to initiate gene transcription (genetics), transcription. Once the transcription factors bind to the promoters through the E-box, other enzymes can bind to the promoter and facilitate transcription from DNA to mRNA. Discovery The E-box was discovered in a collaboration between Susumu Tonegawa's and Walter Gilbert's laboratories in 1985 as a control element in immunoglobulin heavy-chain enhancer. They found that a region of 140 base pairs in the tissue-specific transcriptional enhancer element was sufficient for different levels of transcription Enhancer (genetics), enhancement in different tissues and sequenc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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Internal Ribosome Entry Site
An internal ribosome entry site, abbreviated IRES, is an RNA element that allows for translation initiation in a cap-independent manner, as part of the greater process of protein synthesis. Initiation of eukaryotic translation nearly always occurs at and is dependent on the 5' cap of mRNA molecules, where the translation initiation complex forms and ribosomes engage the mRNA. IRES elements, however, allow ribosomes to engage the mRNA and begin translation independently of the 5' cap. History IRES sequences were first discovered in 1988 in the poliovirus (PV) and encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) RNA genomes in the laboratories of Nahum Sonenberg and Eckard Wimmer, respectively. They are described as distinct regions of RNA molecules that are able to recruit the eukaryotic ribosome to the mRNA. This process is also known as cap-independent translation. It has been shown that IRES elements have a distinct secondary or even tertiary structure, but similar structural features at ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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Transcription Factor
In molecular biology, a transcription factor (TF) (or sequence-specific DNA-binding factor) is a protein that controls the rate of transcription (genetics), transcription of genetics, genetic information from DNA to messenger RNA, by binding to a specific DNA sequence. The function of TFs is to regulate—turn on and off—genes in order to make sure that they are Gene expression, expressed in the desired Cell (biology), cells at the right time and in the right amount throughout the life of the cell and the organism. Groups of TFs function in a coordinated fashion to direct cell division, cell growth, and cell death throughout life; cell migration and organization (body plan) during embryonic development; and intermittently in response to signals from outside the cell, such as a hormone. There are approximately 1600 TFs in the human genome. Transcription factors are members of the proteome as well as regulome. TFs work alone or with other proteins in a complex, by promoting (a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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Histone Acetyltransferase
Histone acetyltransferases (HATs) are enzymes that acetylation, acetylate conserved lysine amino acids on histone proteins by transferring an acetyl group from acetyl-CoA to form ε-N-acetyllysine, ε-''N''-acetyllysine. DNA is wrapped around histones, and, by transferring an acetyl group to the histones, genes can be turned on and off. In general, histone acetylation increases gene expression. In general, histone acetylation is linked to DNA transcription, transcriptional activation and associated with euchromatin. Euchromatin, which is less densely compact, allows transcription factors to bind more easily to regulatory sites on DNA, causing transcriptional activation. When it was first discovered, it was thought that acetylation of lysine neutralizes the positive electric charge, charge normally present, thus reducing affinity between histone and (negatively charged) DNA, which renders DNA more accessible to transcription factors. Research has emerged, since, to show that lys ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |