Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 14, 2026
07:22
A High-throughput Cre-Lox Activated Viral Membrane Fusion Assay to Identify Inhibitors of HIV-1 Viral Membrane Fusion
Published on: August 14, 2018
7.0K
New Insights Into Beclin-1: Evolution and Pan-Malignancy Inhibitor Activity
Stephen L Wechman1, Anjan K Pradhan1, Rob DeSalle2
1Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States.
Advances in Cancer Research
|February 7, 2018
Summary
Beclin-1, an autophagy inducer, acts as a tumor suppressor by inhibiting cancer growth and spread. Its dysregulation in cancer stem cells suggests potential for targeted cancer therapies.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Autophagy is a conserved cellular process vital for eukaryotic survival, regulating energy and DNA integrity.
- Beclin-1 is the first identified autophagy inducer, found across diverse multicellular eukaryotes.
- Beclin-1 functions as a tumor suppressor, though its precise evolutionary and oncogenic roles require further study.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the evolutionary distribution of Beclin-1 across eukaryotes using BLAST searches.
- To analyze the role of Beclin-1 in tumor suppression and cancer malignancy.
- To explore Beclin-1 as a potential therapeutic target for cancer, particularly cancer stem cells.
Main Methods:
- Utilized aggressive BLAST searches to determine Beclin-1's presence in various eukaryotic taxa.
- Reviewed existing experimental evidence on Beclin-1's function in tumor suppression, angiogenesis, and metastasis.
- Examined Beclin-1's expression patterns in human cancers and cancer stem cells.
Main Results:
- Beclin-1 is expressed in a non-monophyletic group of multicellular eukaryotes, indicating complex evolutionary history.
- Beclin-1 acts as a tumor suppressor, inhibiting tumor formation, angiogenesis, and metastasis, often in cooperation with other suppressors.
- Beclin-1 is frequently monoallelically deleted in advanced cancers, and its upregulation in cancer stem cells suggests a role in recurrence.
Conclusions:
- Beclin-1 is essential for cancer cell survival, despite its tumor-suppressive functions.
- Beclin-1's complex evolutionary path and dual role in cancer warrant further investigation, especially in protists.
- Beclin-1 holds significant promise for developing novel targeted cancer therapeutics and advancing understanding of evolution and cancer treatment.
Related Concept Videos
02:55The Evidence for Evolution
48.4K
Genetic variations accumulating within populations over generations give rise to biological evolution. Evolutionary changes can result in the formation of novel varieties and entire new species. These changes are responsible for the diverse forms of life inhabiting the planet. The evidence for evolution suggests that all living organisms descended from common ancestors.
48.4K
01:54Convergent Evolution
33.1K
Evolution shapes the features of organisms over time, ensuring that they are suited for the environments in which they live. Sometimes, selection pressure leads to the rise of similar but unrelated adaptations in organisms with no recent common ancestors, a process known as convergent evolution.
33.1K
01:52Eukaryotic Transcription Inhibitors
11.1K
Certain biochemical processes, such as embryonic development and cell growth regulation, depend on the repression of specific genes. DNA binding proteins known as eukaryotic transcription inhibitors regulate the repression of gene expression in eukaryotes. The presence of these inhibitors at the required location and time in the cell is triggered by the presence of hormones and additional signals from other cells.
Eukaryotic transcription inhibitors usually contain two distinct domains, a...
Eukaryotic transcription inhibitors usually contain two distinct domains, a...
11.1K
01:24Eukaryotic Evolution
42.5K
The endosymbiont theory is the most widely accepted theory of eukaryotic evolution; however, its progression is still somewhat debated. According to the nucleus-first hypothesis, the ancestral prokaryote first evolved a membrane to enclose DNA and form the nucleus. Conversely, the mitochondria-first hypothesis suggests that the nucleus was formed after endosymbiosis of mitochondria.
Contrary to the endosymbiont theory, the eukaryote-first hypothesis proposes that the simpler prokaryotic and...
Contrary to the endosymbiont theory, the eukaryote-first hypothesis proposes that the simpler prokaryotic and...
42.5K
02:31Synteny and Evolution
3.8K
John H. Renwick first coined the term “synteny” in 1971, which refers to the genes present on the same chromosomes, even if they are not genetically linked. The species with common ancestry tend to show conserved syntenic regions. Therefore, the concept of synteny is nowadays used to describe the evolutionary relationship between species.
Around 80 million years ago, the human and mice lineages diverged from the common ancestor. During the course of evolution, the ancestral...
Around 80 million years ago, the human and mice lineages diverged from the common ancestor. During the course of evolution, the ancestral...
3.8K
02:05Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?
3.7K
3.7K