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Updated: Jul 10, 2026
14:57
Yeast As a Chassis for Developing Functional Assays to Study Human P53
Published on: August 4, 2019
P63 and P73: P53 mimics, menaces and more.
1Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, 240 Longwood Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. fmckeon@hms.harvard.edu
Nature Reviews. Molecular Cell Biology
|March 17, 2001
Summary
The p53 tumor suppressor gene is frequently inactivated in cancers. Its relatives, p63 and p73, exhibit complex roles, acting as both oncogenes and tumor suppressors, and are involved in p53-independent pathways.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Cancer Research
- Genetics
Background:
- Tumor suppressor p53 inactivation is a common hallmark of cancer.
- The discovery of p53 relatives, p63 and p73, raised questions about their function.
- These homologues possess complex and sometimes contradictory properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the functional roles of p63 and p73 in cancer.
- To understand their relationship with p53.
- To explore their involvement in p53-independent cellular processes.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on p53, p63, and p73.
- Analysis of reported oncogenic and tumor-suppressive functions.
- Examination of their roles in various biological pathways.
Main Results:
- p63 and p73 display both oncogenic and tumor-suppressor characteristics.
- Their functions are not solely dependent on p53.
- These genes are implicated in stem-cell regeneration, neurogenesis, and sensory functions.
Conclusions:
- The p53 family members (p53, p63, p73) have multifaceted roles in cancer.
- Understanding these roles is crucial for developing targeted cancer therapies.
- p63 and p73 are involved in critical biological processes beyond tumor suppression.
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