Related Experiment Videos

Multiple growth factor induction of a murine early response gene that complements a lethal defect in yeast ribosome

S A Nelson1, J P Aris, B K Patel

  • 1Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, NCI, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.

Insights

Researchers identified San5, a novel gene induced by growth factors like PDGF. This gene is crucial for ribosome biogenesis and links growth factor signaling to the cell

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) regulate normal and neoplastic growth.
  • Identifying RTK-activated genes is key to understanding cellular growth.
  • Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is a potent mitogen involved in cell proliferation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify novel genes transcriptionally activated by growth factors.
  • To elucidate the role of growth factor-induced genes in cellular processes.

Main Methods:

  • Differential display reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (DD-RT-PCR) was used to identify novel cDNAs.
  • San5 cDNA was isolated and sequenced from NIH 3T3 fibroblasts.
  • Functional assays were performed in yeast (nop5 null mutant rescue) and murine cells.

Main Results:

  • A novel growth factor-induced cDNA, San5, was identified.
  • San5 transcript levels increased rapidly in response to PDGF and fibroblast growth factors.
  • San5 shares homology with yeast Nop5p and rescues a nop5 null mutant, indicating a role in ribosome biogenesis.
  • San5 is localized to the nucleolus in both yeast and mouse cells.

Conclusions:

  • San5 is a novel gene induced by mitogenic growth factors.
  • San5 plays a critical role in ribosome biogenesis.
  • San5 may link growth factor receptor activation to the cellular translational machinery.

Related Concept Videos