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Updated: Jan 5, 2026

Characterize Disease-related Mutants of RAF Family Kinases by Using a Set of Practical and Feasible Methods
Published on: July 17, 2019
Vav1 mutations: What makes them oncogenic?
Marganit Farago1, Tali Yarnitzky2, Batel Shalom1
1Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, IMRIC, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
Abstract:
Vav1 is physiologically active as a GDP/GTP nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) in the hematopoietic system. Its wild-type form was recently implicated in mammalian malignancies of hematologic and non-hematologic tissue origins. Moreover, it was recently identified as a mutated gene in human cancers of various origins. In this review we focus on the functional activities of several of the Vav1 mutants analyzed for their tumorigenic properties. We also discuss the relationship of the tested biochemical properties of Vav1 mutants, E59K, D517E and L801P, to their computer-based predicted properties. These comparisons further enhance the need for integration of computation-based structural analyses with experimental data in order to fully appreciate the activity of mutant proteins. Our comprehensive evaluation supports the classification of Vav1 as a bona fide oncogene in human cancers.
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