Oncogenes




BIO372 : Cancer : Biology of Cancer : Oncogenes

Web Activity: Oncogenes

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DUE: 28-Apr-2000 Assignments sent after the due date will receive a grade of zero.

1. Oncogenes are genes which cause cancer. What is the origin of an oncogene, i.e., where did it come from?

2. The mutations of some oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes have been shown to involve a change in an amino acid in the protein chain. From what you know about protein structure and substrate binding, how might a change in one amino acid alter the way the protein interacts with other molecules resulting in an altered function of the oncogene or tumor suppressor gene and lead to cancer (for instance, in ras, Rb, or p53)?

3. Pick one of the oncogenes, cancer genes, or tumor suppressor genes which has not already been listed by someone else in the assignment database.

a) List the gene in the assignment database.

b) What is the gene and on what chromosome and where on the chromosome is it located? Note: The short arm of the chromsome is "p" (for petite) and the long arm is "q". The last number is the location on the arm.

c) What is the normal expression of the gene (its phenotype)?

d) What specific pathological condition results from expression of the mutant form of the gene?

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E-mail Professor Gaud at William.Gaud@nau.edu
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