Genetic Instability and Checkpoint Genes: Insights from a Single Eucaryote (S. Cerevisiae) for Human Breast Cancer.
Abstract
We study genes involved in cell cycle controls called checkpoints that block cell division after DNA damage. Checkpoint genes are relevant to breast cancer for each of the two aspects of this proposal we will continue to pursue. First, we proposed to isolate human checkpoint genes- now a putatitive MECI homolog is already present in the ATM gene, recently described from human cells. ATM has a very high association with breast cancer, accounting for about 10% of all breast cancer cases. Our continuing goal is to identify other human homologs of yeast checkpoint genes, thinking they too may be relevant to breast cancer. Second, cancer progression is generally a multistep process in which mutations accumulate, allowing the cancer cell to grow under conditions where normal cells do not. Genomic instability may occur due to defects in checkpoints. We are studying in yeast cells how checkpoints mutations lead to genomic instability, including chromosome loss, recombination, though our assay systems are still being optimized. We have seen no significant changes in point mutation frequency in checkpoint mutants.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1995
- Accession Number
- ADA306432
Entities
People
- Ted A. Weinert
Organizations
- University of Arizona