p73, the "assistant" guardian of the genome?
Although p53 is clearly involved in the salvage pathway to DNA damage, its frequent mutations do not explain the efficacy of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Indeed, around 50% of all human cancers show mutations in p53, and a further fraction show a functional inactivation of the protein. Nevertheless, patients seem to respond to therapy that would otherwise require a functional p53. At least in part, these responses could be explained by the pathway mediated by p73. This mechanism is parallel to, but independent of the p53 pathway. Several pieces of evidence show a significant interaction between these two proteins. Therefore, while p53 can be rightly defined as the guardian of the genome, we could think of p73 as the "assistant" guardian of the genome!
Melino
Gerry
G
Biochemistry Laboratory, IDI-IRCCS, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy. gm89@le.ac.uk
D004249:DNA Damage; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D016158:Genes, p53; D016678:Genome; D006801:Humans; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D000072160:Tumor Protein p73; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C000606460:TP73 protein, human; D000072160:Tumor Protein p73; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins