Original Paper
Oncogene (2004) 23, 9230–9237. doi:10.1038/sj.onc.1208171 Published online 18 October 2004
Huntingtin interacting protein 14 is an oncogenic human protein: palmitoyl acyltransferase
Charles E Ducker1, Erin M Stettler1, Kevin J French1, John J Upson1 and Charles D Smith1
1Department of Pharmacology, H078, Penn State College of Medicine, 500 University Drive Hershey, PA 17033, USA
Correspondence: CD Smith, E-mail: cdsmith@psu.edu
Received 7 July 2004; Revised 2 September 2004; Accepted 2 September 2004; Published online 18 October 2004.
Abstract
Protein palmitoyltransferases (PATs) represent an exciting new target for anticancer drug design due to their pivotal roles in the subcellular localization of a number of oncogenes. We show that the Huntingtin interacting protein 14 (HIP14) is a PAT with a preference for the farnesyl-dependent palmitoylation motif found in H- and N-RAS. Characterization of HIP14 in mouse cells has revealed that it has the ability to induce colony formation in cell culture, anchorage-independent growth, and tumors in mice. Activity of the enzyme and its ability to transform cells is dependent on critical residues in the active site of the enzyme.
Keywords:
palmitoylation, protein, palmitoyl acyltransferase, RAS, intracellular signaling
