| Project III |
Recessive Oncogene Lethal Giant Larvae (lgl) Family Members
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In order to understand the mechanisms of cancer development and metastasis, researchers have been trying to identify and study tumor suppressor genes and protp-oncogenes in various living organisms. The lethal (2) giant larvae (l(2)gl), the first recessive oncogene found in Drosophila, has been known that homozygous mutations at this locus lead to the development of transplantable neoplasms. The l(2)gl homologues in other organisms have been identified. Including Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Caenorhabditis elegans, mouse mgl-l, and human hugl. Since there are conserved structure of genes, the similarity of cellular processes, and functional conservation of proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes among different species, it is possible that delineating the mechanisms of cancer development and metastasis in lower animals such as mice and rats can directly contribute to the understanding of them in human. |
