About combs, notches, and tumors: epigenetics meets signaling.
The identities of cells, determined by differential gene expression, are heritably maintained by the antagonistic functions of Polycomb group (PcG) and Trithorax group proteins. Two recent papers shed new light on tumor suppressive functions of PcG by reporting direct silencing of the Notch and JAK/STAT signaling pathways in Drosophila melanogaster.
Merdes
Gunter
G
Department of Biosystems Sciences and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058 Basel, Switzerland.
Paro
Renato
R
D000818:Animals; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D053612:Janus Kinases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D063146:Polycomb-Group Proteins; D051880:Receptors, Notch / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D050791:STAT Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C497759:N protein, Drosophila; D063146:Polycomb-Group Proteins; D051880:Receptors, Notch; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D050791:STAT Transcription Factors; D053612:Janus Kinases