Chapter category: Cell Cycle

Functional Interactions Between BRCA1 and the Cell Cycle

This chapter appears in the following book:

Cell Cycle Checkpoints and Cancer

Edited by: Mikhail V. Blagosklonny
ISBN: 1-58706-067-1
» Get more information about this book at landesbioscience.com «

Chapter authors:
Timothy K. MacLachlan and Wafik El-Deiry

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The onset of breast cancer in women is one of the most devastating diseases known today, afflicting approximately one in nine women in Western countries. In families that inherit breast and ovarian cancer, BRCA1 mutations account ¹ for close to 100% of resultant cancers, and in pedigrees that solely inherit breast cancer, BRCA1 alterations are present in nearly two-thirds of the families.² These findings have led to the terminology of BRCA1 as a true tumor suppressor. Its discovery in 1994 initially did not lead to any insights into its functions, as the domains of the 220kDa protein were not exceptionally homologous to any known proteins.³ However, research into the function of BRCA1 has yielded several theories regarding its purpose in normal cells. Identification of interacting proteins, production of antibodies against the protein, development of knockout and transgenic mouse models and comparisons between BRCA1 wild type and mutant expressing cells has assisted in placing functional characteristics with the BRCA1 protein. Among other qualities of BRCA1, it has become clear that it is influenced by and affects directly the position of the cell cycle. From phosphorylation to subcellular localization, protein-protein interaction to transcription activation, it has become clear that BRCA1 activities are closely related with cell cycle events. The transition from phase to phase in the mammalian cell cycle intimately involves the BRCA1 tumor suppressor.

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Chapter category: Cell Cycle

Functional Interactions Between BRCA1 and the Cell Cycle

Additional chapters from this book:

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