Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 12, 2026

Assaying Proteasomal Degradation in a Cell-free System in Plants
07:43

Assaying Proteasomal Degradation in a Cell-free System in Plants

Published on: March 26, 2014

v-Src transformation is mediated through farnesylated proteins

S Teng1, J Sun, R Irby

  • 1Department of Surgery, Ochsner Clinic and Hospital, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.

The Journal of Surgical Research
|July 27, 2001
PubMed

Insights

A farnesyl-transferase inhibitor (FTI) partially reduced the transforming potential of Src oncoprotein in rat fibroblasts. This suggests farnesylated proteins, potentially including Ras, mediate Src-induced cell transformation and malignancy.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Oncology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Src is an oncoprotein overexpressed and activated in many human cancers.
  • The exact mechanisms driving Src-mediated cell transformation remain unclear.
  • Farnesylated proteins, such as Ras, are crucial for various cellular processes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the hypothesis that Ras and other farnesylated proteins mediate Src-induced cell transformation.
  • To assess the effect of a farnesyl-transferase inhibitor (FTI) on the transformation potential of v-Src.

Main Methods:

  • v-Src-transfected rat fibroblasts (3Y1) were treated with a farnesyl-transferase inhibitor (FTI).
  • Focus formation assays were conducted to evaluate cellular transformation potential.
  • Western blotting was used to confirm inhibition of Ras farnesylation and assess specificity.

Main Results:

  • FTI treatment resulted in a statistically significant 24% decrease in focus formation by v-Src-transfected cells.
  • Foci in FTI-treated cells were consistently smaller than those in untreated controls.
  • Complete inhibition of H-Ras farnesylation was confirmed, with specificity verified for Rap1A.

Conclusions:

  • The transforming potential of v-Src is partially inhibited by FTI treatment.
  • These findings suggest that farnesylated proteins, potentially including Ras, play a role in mediating v-Src transformation.
  • Targeting protein farnesylation may offer a therapeutic strategy for Src-driven malignancies.

More Related Videos

Fully Processed Recombinant KRAS4b: Isolating and Characterizing the Farnesylated and Methylated Protein07:08

Fully Processed Recombinant KRAS4b: Isolating and Characterizing the Farnesylated and Methylated Protein

Published on: January 16, 2020

Inducing Hairy Roots by Agrobacterium rhizogenes-Mediated Transformation in Tartary Buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum)08:12

Inducing Hairy Roots by Agrobacterium rhizogenes-Mediated Transformation in Tartary Buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum)

Published on: March 11, 2020

Related Concept Videos

Transfer RNA Synthesis02:36

Transfer RNA Synthesis

One of the unique features of tRNA is the presence of modified bases. In some tRNAs, modified bases account for nearly 20% of the total bases in the molecule. Altogether, these unusual bases protect the tRNA from enzymatic degradation by RNases.
Each of these chemical modifications is carried by a specific enzyme, post-transcription. All of these enzymes have unique base and site-specificity. Methylation, the most common chemical modification, is carried by at least nine different enzymes, with...
Proteins: From Genes to Degradation02:11

Proteins: From Genes to Degradation

Within a biological system, the DNA encodes the RNA, and the nucleotide sequence in the RNA further defines the amino acid sequence in the protein. This is referred to as “The Central Dogma of Molecular Biology” - a term coined by Francis Crick.  Central dogma is a firm principle in biology that defines the flow of genetic information within any life form. The two fundamental steps in central dogma are - transcription and translation.
Transcription is the synthesis of RNA molecules by RNA...
Regulation of Nuclear Protein Sorting01:45

Regulation of Nuclear Protein Sorting

Nuclear protein sorting regulates nucleus composition and gene expression, crucial for determining the fate of a eukaryotic cell. Hence, the entry and exit of molecules across the nuclear envelope is a tightly controlled process. Nuclear protein sorting can be inhibited by one of the following ways: 1) masking cargo signal sequences, 2) modifying the nuclear receptor's affinity for cargo, 3) controlling the nuclear pore size, 4) retaining the cargo during its transit to the cytosol or the...
Tail-anchoring of Proteins in the ER Membrane01:45

Tail-anchoring of Proteins in the ER Membrane

Tail-anchored, or TA, proteins are estimated to make up to 3-5% of membrane proteins found in the eukaryotic cell. Such proteins have a single transmembrane domain located approximately 30 amino acid residues upstream from the C-terminal end. As a result, the signal recognition particle (SRP) cannot guide a TA protein to the ER membrane for cotranslational insertion. Hence, they are integrated into the ER membrane post-translationally using their C-terminal end as the anchor. TA proteins...
Transfer RNA Synthesis02:36

Transfer RNA Synthesis

One of the unique features of tRNA is the presence of modified bases. In some tRNAs, modified bases account for nearly 20% of the total bases in the molecule. Altogether, these unusual bases protect the tRNA from enzymatic degradation by RNases.
Each of these chemical modifications is carried by a specific enzyme, post-transcription. All of these enzymes have unique base and site-specificity. Methylation, the most common chemical modification, is carried by at least nine different enzymes, with...
Regulation of Expression at Multiple Steps01:23

Regulation of Expression at Multiple Steps

The gene expression in cells is regulated at different stages: (i) transcription, (ii) RNA processing, (iii) RNA localization, and (iv) translation. Transcriptional regulation is mediated by regulatory proteins such as transcription factors, activators, or repressors—these control gene expression by initiating or inhibiting the transcription of genes. Once a precursor or pre-mRNA is produced, it undergoes post-transcriptional modification, including 5' capping, splicing, and the addition of a...