Regulatory Pathways

Question 1

Hippo pathway

Answer 1

major regulator of organ growth and proliferation.
one of the most conserved molecular pathways in all metazoan.

Question 2

metazoan

Answer 2

comprises all animals having the body composed of cells differentiated into tissues and organs and usually a digestive cavity lined with specialized cells.

Question 3

core components of the Hippo pathway

Answer 3

the mammalian sterile 20-like kinases (MSTs), large tumour suppressor kinases (LATSs), the adaptor proteins Salvador homologue 1 (SAV1, also called WW45) and Mps One Binder kinase activator proteins.

Question 4

The major target of the Hippo core kinases

Answer 4

the mammalian transcriptional activator Yes-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ). In cancer, the Hippo signalling is inactivated and YAP and TAZ are activated and free to translocate into the nucleus to promote cell proliferation. Nuclear YAP/TAZ activate or suppress transcription factors that regulate target genes involved in cell proliferation, tissue growth, control of organ size and shape or metastasis.