title: Identification and characterization of metastasis-associated gene/protein 1 (MTA1).
abstract: Metastasis is a complex series of sequential events involving several gene products and the regulated expression of several tumor cell genes. Using rat mammary adenocarcinoma cell lines of differing metastatic potentials and a differential complementary DNA (cDNA) hybridization method, our laboratory embarked in 1992 on a project to identify candidate metastasis-associated genes. Among the genes that were found to be abundantly overexpressed in highly metastatic rat cell lines compared to poorly metastatic cell lines, we identified a completely novel gene without any homologous or related genes in the database in 1994. The full-length cDNA of this gene was cloned, sequenced, and named mta1 (metastasis-associated gene 1), and eventually, its human cDNA counterpart, MTA1, was also cloned and sequenced by our group. MTA1 has now been identified as one of the members of a gene family (MTA gene family). The products of the MTA genes, the MTA proteins, are transcriptional co-regulators that function in histone deacetylation and nucleosome remodeling. In this review, we will briefly discuss the researches for the identification and characterization of the mta1 gene, its human counterpart MTA1, and their protein products.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, National Kyushu Cancer Center, 3-1-1 Notame, Minami-ku, Fukuoka, 811-1395, Japan, ytoh@nk-cc.go.jp.
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Toh
authors.forename: Garth L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Nicolson
mesh_terms: D042002:Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly / Q000235:genetics*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006655:Histone Deacetylases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D056245:Mi-2 Nucleosome Remodeling and Deacetylase Complex / Q000235:genetics*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D015534:Trans-Activators
chemical_list: C089320:MTA1 protein, human; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D006655:Histone Deacetylases; D056245:Mi-2 Nucleosome Remodeling and Deacetylase Complex