Molecular Biology Genetics and Immunology of Cancer Flashcards
DNA is composed of what 4 bases? RNA?
Briefly describe how DNA becomes proteins.
DNA: Adenine, thymine, guanine, cytosine
RNA: Adenine, uracil, guanine, cytosine
DNA…transcription via RNA polymerase…RNA…. translation via ribosome… protein.
What is terminal differentiation? where do these cells originate from?
example of terminally differentiated cells.
Describe stem cells.
Terminal differentiation: cells that have lost the ability to proliferate, they have a finite lifespan andd are replaced with new cells produced from stem cells.
Examples: neurons, muscle cells, cardiac cells
Stem Cells: capable of self renewal; cells divide without undergoing terminal differentiation.
Describe each of the cell cycle phases.
G0 = resting phase, cell has left the cycle and has stopped dividing
G1= cells increase size, ensures everything is ready for DNA synthesis.
S = DNA replication
G2 = gap between DNA synthesis and mitosis, cell continues to grow.
M = cell growth stops at this stage, beginning of cell division.
What are the phases of mitosis?
Interphase, Prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase, cytokinesis
What are the 2 categories of cancer genes?
Cancer cells contain genetically altered DNA, they can be either hereditary or somatic, which mutation type correlates with each?
Dominant and recessive:
- dominant from proto-oncogenes
- recessive from tumor suppressor
Hereditary - germline
Somatic - spontaneous
What are the 2 categories of cancer genes?
Cancer cells contain genetically altered DNA, they can be either hereditary or somatic, which mutation type correlates with each?
Dominant and recessive:
- dominant from proto-oncogenes
- recessive from tumor suppressor
Hereditary - germline
Somatic - spontaneous
What is:
- gain-of-function mutations
- loss-of-function mutations
Describe mutation event that must occur for overactivity mutation/gain of function to occur and underactivity mutation/loss of function.
Gain of function: altered or unregulated activity of a proto-oncogene leads to tumorigenesis
Loss of function: loss of activity in tumor suppressors results in unregulated pathways and tumorigenesis.
Overactivity mutation:
-single mutation event creates oncogene, activating mutation enables oncogene to stimulate cell proliferation
Underactivity mutation:
-mutation event inactivates tumor suppressor gene, no effect of mutation (b/c only affects one gene copy). Second mutation event inactivates second tumor suppressor gene copy, these two inactivating mutations functionally eliminate the tumor suppressor gene stimulating cell proliferation of mutated genes.
What is:
- gain-of-function mutations
- loss-of-function mutations
Describe mutation event that must occur for overactivity mutation/gain of function to occur and underactivity mutation/loss of function.
Gain of function: altered or unregulated activity of a proto-oncogene leads to tumorigenesis
Loss of function: loss of activity in tumor suppressors results in unregulated pathways and tumorigenesis.
Overactivity mutation:
-single mutation event creates oncogene, activating mutation enables oncogene to stimulate cell proliferation
Underactivity mutation:
-mutation event inactivates tumor suppressor gene, no effect of mutation (b/c only affects one gene copy). Second mutation event inactivates second tumor suppressor gene copy, these two inactivating mutations functionally eliminate the tumor suppressor gene stimulating cell proliferation of mutated genes.
What are the 8 hallmarks of CA?
self-sufficiency in growth signals
insensitivity to anti-growth signals
evading apoptosis
limitless reproductive potential
capacity to evade other tissues
sustained angiogenesis
tissue invasion and metastases
genomic instability
What are the 8 hallmarks of CA?
self-sufficiency in growth signals
insensitivity to anti-growth signals
evading apoptosis
limitless reproductive potential
capacity to evade other tissues
sustained angiogenesis
tissue invasion and metastases
genomic instability
Cancer cells invade nearby tissues in many ways, one of which is invadopodia. What is this?
Invadopodia are actin-rich protrusions of the plasma membrane that are associated with degradation of the extracellular matrix in cancer invasiveness and metastasis.
Cancer cells invade nearby tissues in many ways, one of which is invadopodia. What is this?
Invadopodia are actin-rich protrusions of the plasma membrane that are associated with degradation of the extracellular matrix in cancer invasiveness and metastasis.
Molecular Basis of CA
mutations commonly from radiation, chemicals, or viruses may lead to increased synthesis of oncogenes or decreased synthesis of tumor suppressor genes leading to uncontrolled cell growth.
Molecular Basis of CA
mutations commonly from radiation, chemicals, or viruses may lead to increased synthesis of oncogenes or decreased synthesis of tumor suppressor genes leading to uncontrolled cell growth.
What are proto-oncogenes?
What: normal cell proteins that have the potential to cause cancer when mutated.
