New tumour-suppressor gene uncovered by CRUK scientists

Research lead

Cancer Research UK scientists have discovered a new tumour-suppressor gene which prevents cells with cancer-causing mutations passing them on to new cells.

Two genes, ATM and ATR, are known to play a key role in the cellular mechanism that prevents genetic damage from being handed onto daughter cells by arresting cell division.

The scientists discovered that ATM and ATR proteins act on a protein, Cep63, which builds centrosomes, the part of the cell machinery responsible for the accurate separation of duplicated chromosomes into daughter cells. ATM and ATR regulate Cep63 to ensure that only cells with undamaged DNA can assemble the cellular apparatus necessary to split the chromosomes into new cells.

Vincenzo Costanzo, head of genome stability at the London Research Institute, said, “If we can control Cep63 function at centrosomes we might be able to prevent the accumulation of cells with abnormal chromosomes typically found in tumours. Consistent with this theory it has recently been reported that the Cep63 protein is faulty in invasive tumours and aggressive leukaemias.”