An RNA Splicing factor as a target for cancer therapy
Source: EurekAlert!
http://bcs.whfreeman.com/thelifewire/content/chp14/1402001.html( About RNA Splicing)
One more research news from Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory…
CSHL Researchers have found out a new RNA Splicing factor that causes cells to become cancerous. You might be wondering what an RNA Splicing factor is. Here you go…
RNA Splicing is a process by which a pre-mRNA is converted into a fully functional mRNA. Confused? Let me clear it further. Basically, the mRNA is transcribed or in simpler terms ‘formed’ from DNA. DNA has regions which code for some proteins called ‘exons’ and some regions which do not code for any protein called ‘introns’. The pre-mRNA that is initially formed from it also has the same regions. Logically, we do not need introns. We only need exons. Some factors are present which help in removing these introns from the Pre-mRNA and joining the exons thereby making it a fully functional mRNA. This process is called RNA Splicing and the factors which bring about it are called Splicing factors. This fully functional mRNA is translated into proteins.
Let’s come back to the news…
The RNA splicing factor found was called SF2/ASF. A proper RNA splicing is required for the formation of the correct protein. When something wrong happens here, it results in the formation of altered proteins which in turn could lead to disastrous effects. One of the disastrous effect could be formation of cancer.
The researchers found an abnormally high amount of this splicing factor SF2/ASF in a number of cancers like that of the colon, lung and the breast. They also found that over-expression of this factor could cause cancer in normal cells and that reducing its amount prevented cancer formation.
An example they cited was that of a protein kinase which was responsible for regulating the cell cycle and that altered RNA Splicing caused the production of a variant of this kinase which caused cancer.
http://bcs.whfreeman.com/thelifewire/content/chp14/1402001.html( About RNA Splicing)
One more research news from Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory…
CSHL Researchers have found out a new RNA Splicing factor that causes cells to become cancerous. You might be wondering what an RNA Splicing factor is. Here you go…
RNA Splicing is a process by which a pre-mRNA is converted into a fully functional mRNA. Confused? Let me clear it further. Basically, the mRNA is transcribed or in simpler terms ‘formed’ from DNA. DNA has regions which code for some proteins called ‘exons’ and some regions which do not code for any protein called ‘introns’. The pre-mRNA that is initially formed from it also has the same regions. Logically, we do not need introns. We only need exons. Some factors are present which help in removing these introns from the Pre-mRNA and joining the exons thereby making it a fully functional mRNA. This process is called RNA Splicing and the factors which bring about it are called Splicing factors. This fully functional mRNA is translated into proteins.
Let’s come back to the news…
The RNA splicing factor found was called SF2/ASF. A proper RNA splicing is required for the formation of the correct protein. When something wrong happens here, it results in the formation of altered proteins which in turn could lead to disastrous effects. One of the disastrous effect could be formation of cancer.
The researchers found an abnormally high amount of this splicing factor SF2/ASF in a number of cancers like that of the colon, lung and the breast. They also found that over-expression of this factor could cause cancer in normal cells and that reducing its amount prevented cancer formation.
An example they cited was that of a protein kinase which was responsible for regulating the cell cycle and that altered RNA Splicing caused the production of a variant of this kinase which caused cancer.
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