P53 Tumor Protein

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The first natural tumor suppressor gene known as p53 was discovered during 1979, in a study to show the role of viruses in cancer through its ability to form a complex with viral tumor antigens (Jiang). The p53 gene (19,148 base pairs) is formally known as the guardian of the genome and is a blueprint to code for a protein called tumor protein p53, which functions to keep normal cells from dividing uncontrollably and involuntarily (Genetics Home Reference). In order for the tumor protein p53 to be active and functional it needs to undergo modifications such as phosphorylation, acetylation, methylation, neddylation and sumoylation (Abcam). In addition, the protein prevents precancerous cells from growing and induces apoptosis or other cellular …show more content…
Such mutation causes a single amino acid to change in the p53 gene as a result it prevents the transcription factor from binding to the specific sequence of DNA it matches thus blocking the production of the tumor protein p53 to regulate cell growth and division (Genetics Home Reference). Therefore, this damaged DNA present inside the cells allows them to grow and divide in an uncontrolled manner to form a cancerous tumor (Genetics Home Reference). P53 gene mutation is an indicative of whether bladder cancer will progress and spread to surrounding tissues and if the disease will resurface after a treatment was implemented (Genetics Home …show more content…
In order to achieve such goals and methods a research team at University of Oxford conducted a study to show how p53 is inactivated in advanced melanomas by a protein named iASPP and by blocking that particular protein it would reactivate or restore the p53 back into those cancerous cells (Lu M et al., 2013). In a previous study they had identified iASPP as an inhibitor of p53 (Steinhardt, 2013). In a recent study they show that in advanced melanomas iASPP undergoes chemical alterations in order to be active (Steinhardt, 2013). When active it is pushed into the nucleus where it binds to the p53 gene and blocks the cancer cells from undergoing apoptosis. However, based on their research it showed that a second protein called MDM2 along with iASPP caused the inhibition of p53 (Steinhardt,