Molecular mechanism of oncogenic RAS-induced gene silencing

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26830064
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Tumor biology
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Funayama Ryo 東北大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 助教 (20452295)
• Research Collaborator: NAKAYAMA Keiko 東北大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 教授 (60294972) ; NAGASHIMA Takeshi 東北大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 助教 (80443000) ; HOSOGANE Masaki 東北大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 助手 (30734347)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 転写 / エピジェネティクス / RAS

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Cancer is caused by DNA mutations. Some mutations cause alterations in gene expression, which result in abnormal growth and viability in cancer cells. We uncovered the molecular mechanism of transcriptional repression induced by an oncogenic RAS mutation, one of the most recurrent mutation in cancer. Phosphorylation activity of protein kinase Erk2 is required for RAS-induced transcriptional repression. Moreover, transcriptional repression triggers alteration of chromatin environment including histone modification.

Free Research Field

細胞生物学