Axin is a recently identified tumor suppressor that plays an important role in liver and colon cancers. To gain further insights into the structure and function of Axin in controlling cell growth, we Show more
Axin is a recently identified tumor suppressor that plays an important role in liver and colon cancers. To gain further insights into the structure and function of Axin in controlling cell growth, we analyzed 54 colorectal cancer tissues for mutations in AXIN1 gene. We employed PCR amplification with 23 sets of primers against introns that encompassed the whole coding region of AXIN1 followed by single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis. After subcloning and sequencing analysis of the reamplified DNA from the aberrant bands, we found, in addition to 3 silent mutations, 6 missense point mutations in different functionally important regions. The missense mutation rate is hence 11%, suggesting that Axin deficiency may contribute to the onset of colorectal tumorigenesis. Show less
Cytokinesis in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe is regulated by a signaling pathway termed the septation initiation network (SIN). The SIN is essential for initiation of actomyosin ring con Show more
Cytokinesis in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe is regulated by a signaling pathway termed the septation initiation network (SIN). The SIN is essential for initiation of actomyosin ring constriction and septum formation. In a screen to search for mutations that can rescue the sid2-250 SIN mutant, we obtained scw1-18. Both the scw1-18 mutant and the scw1 deletion mutant (scw1Delta mutant), have defects in cell separation. Both the scw1-18 and scw1Delta mutations rescue the growth defects of not just the sid2-250 mutant but also the other temperature-sensitive SIN mutants. Other cytokinesis mutants, such as those defective for actomyosin ring formation, are not rescued by scw1Delta. scw1Delta does not seem to rescue the SIN by restoring SIN signaling defects. However, scw1Delta may function downstream of the SIN to promote septum formation, since scw1Delta can rescue the septum formation defects of the cps1-191beta-1,3-glucan synthase mutant, which is required for synthesis of the primary septum. Show less