Abstract
Guanine nucleotide binding proteins of the G12/13 subfamily regulate a number of cellular processes that have the ability to become aberrant in cancers. Within this subfamily, Gα12 in particular has been found to provide a key function in the serum response pathway (SRF), leading to stimulation of the transcriptional activator SRF in the nucleus of a cell. Concertina, a homolog of Gα12 in Drosophila, does not participate in activation of the serum response pathway when expressed in human cells. Previous work in Dr. Meigs’ lab found a 42-amino acid region near the C-terminus of G12 to be necessary for activation of this pathway. To better understand the cellular mechanisms triggered by this region of Gα12, specific amino acids within this region were changed to their Concertina counterparts. This process was performed using molecular biological techniques, and several mutants of G12 were generated and confirmed by DNA sequence analysis. These mutants are being tested for their ability to drive transcriptional activation through SRF in cultured human cells. Understanding mechanisms that alter Gα12 function in cell proliferation may ultimately prove to be viable targets for antineoplastic drugs.
How to Cite
Whitley, M. H., (2014) “G12-to-Concertina Mutagenesis to Identify Structural Determinants that Regulate Cell Growth”, Capstone, The UNC Asheville Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship 27(1).
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