title: Structure, expression and functions of MTA genes.
abstract: Metastatic associated proteins (MTA) are integrators of upstream regulatory signals with the ability to act as master coregulators for modifying gene transcriptional activity. The MTA family includes three genes and multiple alternatively spliced variants. The MTA proteins neither have their own enzymatic activity nor have been shown to directly interact with DNA. However, MTA proteins interact with a variety of chromatin remodeling factors and complexes with enzymatic activities for modulating the plasticity of nucleosomes, leading to the repression or derepression of target genes or other extra-nuclear and nucleosome remodeling and histone deacetylase (NuRD)-complex independent activities. The functions of MTA family members are driven by the steady state levels and subcellular localization of MTA proteins, the dynamic nature of modifying signals and enzymes, the structural features and post-translational modification of protein domains, interactions with binding proteins, and the nature of the engaged and resulting features of nucleosomes in the proximity of target genes. In general, MTA1 and MTA2 are the most upregulated genes in human cancer and correlate well with aggressive phenotypes, therapeutic resistance, poor prognosis and ultimately, unfavorable survival of cancer patients. Here we will discuss the structure, expression and functions of the MTA family of genes in the context of cancer cells.
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 530 Ross Hall, 2300 Eye Street, N.W., George Washington University, Washington, DC 20037, USA; Cancer Biology Program, Rajiv Gandhi Center of Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram 695014, India. Electronic address: bcmrxk@gwu.edu.
authors: Rakesh
authors: R
authors: Kumar
authors: State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China; Department of Pathology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China. Electronic address: Wangra@fmmu.edu.cn.
authors: Rui-An
authors: RA
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D005810:Multigene Family; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D054778:NM23 Nucleoside Diphosphate Kinases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary
chemical_list: D054778:NM23 Nucleoside Diphosphate Kinases
keywords: Cancer; Chromatin remodeling; Coregulators; MTA1; MTA2; MTA3; Metastasis