UXT is a novel centrosomal protein essential for cell viability.
Ubiquitously expressed transcript (UXT) is a prefoldinlike protein that has been suggested to be involved in human tumorigenesis. Here, we have found that UXT is overexpressed in a number of human tumor tissues but not in the matching normal tissues. We demonstrate that UXT is located in human centrosomes and is associated with gamma-tubulin. In addition, overexpression of UXT disrupts centrosome structure. Furthermore, abrogation of UXT protein expression by small interfering RNA knockdown leads to cell death. Together, our findings suggest that UXT is a component of centrosome and is essential for cell viability. We propose that UXT may facilitate transformation by corrupting regulated centrosome functions.
Zhao
Huiwu
H
Department of Pathology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Wang
Qiang
Q
Zhang
Hongtao
H
Liu
Qingdu
Q
Du
Xiulian
X
Richter
Mark
M
Greene
Mark I
MI
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001859:Bone Neoplasms; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology*; D018385:Centrosome / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016296:Mutagenesis; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D012516:Osteosarcoma
D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; C118920:UXT protein, human