Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 13, 2026
12:02
Studying Cell Cycle-regulated Gene Expression by Two Complementary Cell Synchronization Protocols
Published on: June 6, 2017
PIASy interacts with p73alpha and regulates cell cycle in HEK293 cells
Chao Zhang1, Xia Yuan, Ling Yue
1Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, PR China.
Cellular Immunology
|May 18, 2010
Summary
Protein inhibitor of activated STAT y (PIASy) interacts with p73alpha, promoting its degradation. PIASy regulates p73alpha
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology
- Cancer Research
Background:
- p73 is a transcription factor in the p53 family.
- p73 regulates cell cycle arrest and apoptosis via posttranslational modifications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interaction between PIASy and p73alpha.
- To elucidate the role of PIASy-mediated sumoylation in p73alpha regulation.
Main Methods:
- Co-immunoprecipitation assays to detect protein interactions.
- Western blotting to assess protein levels and modifications.
- Reporter assays to measure transcriptional activity.
Main Results:
- PIASy directly interacts with p73alpha.
- PIASy-mediated sumoylation leads to proteasomal degradation of p73alpha.
- PIASy overexpression inhibits p73alpha-mediated p21 transcription, reducing G1 arrest and promoting cell cycle reentry.
Conclusions:
- PIASy is a key regulator of p73alpha stability and transcriptional activity.
- PIASy influences cell cycle progression by modulating p73alpha function.
- These findings highlight a novel regulatory mechanism impacting cell cycle control.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Negative Regulator Molecules
Positive regulators allow a cell to advance through cell cycle checkpoints. Negative regulators have an equally important role as they terminate a cell’s progression through the cell cycle—or pause it—until the cell meets specific criteria.
02:23Abnormal Proliferation
Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the daughter...
02:34Inhibition of Cdk Activity
The orderly progression of the cell cycle depends on the activation of Cdk protein by binding to its cyclin partner. However, the cell cycle must be restricted when undergoing abnormal changes. Most cancers correlate to the deregulated cell cycle, and since Cdks are a central component of the cell cycle, Cdk inhibitors are extensively studied to develop anticancer agents. For instance, cyclin D associates with several Cdks, such as Cdk 4/6, to form an active complex. The cyclin D-Cdk4/6 complex...
02:36DNA Damage Can Stall the Cell Cycle
In response to DNA damage, cells can pause the cell cycle to assess and repair the breaks. However, the cell must check the DNA at certain critical stages during the cell cycle. If the cell cycle pauses before DNA replication, the cells will contain twice the amount of DNA. On the other hand, if cells arrest after DNA replication but before mitosis, they will contain four times the normal amount of DNA. With a host of specialized proteins at their disposal,cells must use the right protein at...
02:36DNA Damage can Stall the Cell Cycle
In response to DNA damage, cells can pause the cell cycle to assess and repair the breaks. However, the cell must check the DNA at certain critical stages during the cell cycle. If the cell cycle pauses before DNA replication, the cells will contain twice the amount of DNA. On the other hand, if cells arrest after DNA replication but before mitosis, they will contain four times the normal amount of DNA. With a host of specialized proteins at their disposal,cells must use the right protein at...
01:22PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway
The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a serine/threonine kinase that regulates growth, proliferation, and cell survival in response to hormones, growth factors, or nutrient availability. This kinase exists in two structurally and functionally distinct forms: mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2 (mTORC2). The first form (mTORC1) is composed of a rapamycin-sensitive Raptor and proline-rich Akt substrate, PRAS40. In contrast, mTORC2 consists of a rapamycin-insensitive companion...