Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 14, 2026

Retroviral Scanning: Mapping MLV Integration Sites to Define Cell-specific Regulatory Regions
10:10

Retroviral Scanning: Mapping MLV Integration Sites to Define Cell-specific Regulatory Regions

Published on: May 28, 2017

Retroviral insertional mutagenesis identifies oncogene cooperation

Takuro Nakamura1

  • 1Department of Carcinogenesis, The Cancer Institute, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, 1-37-1 Kami-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 170-8455. takuro-ind@umin.ac.jp

Cancer Science
|January 15, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Retroviral insertional mutagenesis identifies oncogenes crucial for cancer development. This method, particularly using engineered mice, reveals cooperative genes involved in multistep carcinogenesis and leukemogenesis.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Genetics
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Retroviral insertional mutagenesis is a key technique for identifying oncogenes in human and rodent carcinogenesis.
  • Multistep carcinogenesis involves not only primary oncogenes but also cooperative genes acting as secondary or tertiary hits.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify oncogenes and cooperative genes involved in carcinogenesis using retroviral insertional mutagenesis.
  • To elucidate the molecular pathways and genetic interactions in complex carcinogenic processes.

Main Methods:

  • Application of retroviral insertional mutagenesis to study cancer development.
  • Utilizing genetically engineered mouse models, specifically NUP98-HOXA9 transgenic mice.
  • Employing retrovirus-mediated gene transfer systems.

Main Results:

  • Identification of primary oncogenes essential for carcinogenesis.
  • Discovery of cooperative genes that contribute to multistep carcinogenesis.
  • Gained insights into the molecular pathways of carcinogenesis and leukemogenesis.

Conclusions:

  • Retroviral insertional mutagenesis is effective in identifying critical oncogenes and cooperative genes.
  • Genetically engineered mice facilitate the discovery of genes involved in complex cancer mechanisms.
  • This approach provides invaluable data for understanding genetic interactions in carcinogenesis.

More Related Videos

Genome-wide RNAi Screening to Identify Host Factors That Modulate Oncolytic Virus Therapy08:51

Genome-wide RNAi Screening to Identify Host Factors That Modulate Oncolytic Virus Therapy

Published on: April 3, 2018

Identification of Functionally-Relevant Lentivirus Integration Sites in an Insertional Mutagenesis Cell Library07:28

Identification of Functionally-Relevant Lentivirus Integration Sites in an Insertional Mutagenesis Cell Library

Published on: January 10, 2025

Related Concept Videos

In-vitro Mutagenesis01:16

In-vitro Mutagenesis

To learn more about the function of a gene, researchers can observe what happens when the gene is inactivated or “knocked out,” by creating genetically engineered knockout animals. Knockout mice have been particularly useful as models for human diseases such as cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and diabetes.
Viral Mutations00:36

Viral Mutations

A mutation is a change in the sequence of bases of DNA or RNA in a genome. Some mutations occur during replication of the genome due to errors made by the polymerase enzymes that replicate DNA or RNA. Unlike DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase is prone to errors because it is not capable of “proofreading” its work. Viruses with RNA-based genomes, like HIV, therefore accrue mutations faster than viruses with DNA-based genomes. Because mutation and recombination provide the raw material for adaptive...
In vitro Mutagenesis01:16

In vitro Mutagenesis

To learn more about the function of a gene, researchers can observe what happens when the gene is inactivated or “knocked out,” by creating genetically engineered knockout animals. Knockout mice have been particularly useful as models for human diseases such as cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and diabetes.
Mechanisms of Retrovirus-induced Cancers01:51

Mechanisms of Retrovirus-induced Cancers

Retroviruses are RNA viruses that have been shown to cause cancers in diverse species, including chickens, mice, cats, and monkeys. The RNA genomes of these viruses are first reverse-transcribed into single and then double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) copies. This dsDNA called proviral DNA then integrates into the host genome. Subsequently, the host cell transcribes the proviral DNA in concert with the chromosomal DNA. This leads to the production of viral RNA and proteins that assemble at the host...
Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer01:03

Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer

Rous Sarcoma virus or RSV was discovered by F. Peyton Rous in the year 1911 as a filterable transmissible agent that could cause tumors in chickens. He won a Nobel Prize for this discovery in 1966. His experiments clearly demonstrated that some cancers could be caused by infectious agents and led to the discovery of many more cancer-causing viruses in animals as well as humans.
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand  RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...
Mechanisms of Retrovirus-induced Cancers01:51

Mechanisms of Retrovirus-induced Cancers

Retroviruses are RNA viruses that have been shown to cause cancers in diverse species, including chickens, mice, cats, and monkeys. The RNA genomes of these viruses are first reverse-transcribed into single and then double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) copies. This dsDNA called proviral DNA then integrates into the host genome. Subsequently, the host cell transcribes the proviral DNA in concert with the chromosomal DNA. This leads to the production of viral RNA and proteins that assemble at the host...