title: The p53 family grows old.
abstract: p73 and p63 are evolving members of the p53 tumor suppressor family. TAp73 is a p73 isoform with a potent transcriptional activation domain, and loss of TAp73 predisposes mice to tumor development. In this issue of Genes & Development, Rufini and colleagues (pp. 2009-2014) discuss how TAp73-null mice display an aging phenotype that is due to mitochondrial dysfunction. Specifically, decreased levels of cytochrome C oxidase subunit 4 isoform 1 (Cox4i1) impair cytochrome C oxidase (COX) function, the multimeric enzyme that executes the last step in aerobic respiration. An emerging theme is that defects in metabolism account for both cancer and aging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. elsaflores@mdanderson.org
authors.forename: Elsa R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Flores
authors.forename: Guillermina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lozano
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014157:Transcription Factors; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; C477072:tp73 protein, zebrafish