title: Synthetic lethality: general principles, utility and detection using genetic screens in human cells.
abstract: Synthetic lethality occurs when the simultaneous perturbation of two genes results in cellular or organismal death. Synthetic lethality also occurs between genes and small molecules, and can be used to elucidate the mechanism of action of drugs. This area has recently attracted attention because of the prospect of a new generation of anti-cancer drugs. Based on studies ranging from yeast to human cells, this review provides an overview of the general principles that underlie synthetic lethality and relates them to its utility for identifying gene function, drug action and cancer therapy. It also identifies the latest strategies for the large-scale mapping of synthetic lethalities in human cells which bring us closer to the generation of comprehensive human genetic interaction maps.
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (CeMM), Vienna, Austria. snijman@cemm.oeaw.ac.at
authors.forename: Sebastian M B
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Nijman
mesh_terms: D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D006801:Humans; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics*; D034622:RNA Interference
chemical_list: D009363:Neoplasm Proteins