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Homology between human bladder carcinoma oncogene product and mitochondrial ATP-synthase

Abstract

More than 10 different dominant transforming genes (oncogenes) have been identified in human tumours1,2, A human bladder carcinoma oncogene, closely related hi sequence to retroviral transforming genes, is split into four exons; the first encodes the N-terminal 37 residues of p21, a protein of unknown function3,4. The oncogene is activated by a single point mutation (guanine to thymine) resulting in the change glycine to valine at position 12 of p21 (refs 3, 4). We report here that the amino acid sequence surrounding this residue is highly homologous to the β-subunit of mitochondrial and bacterial ATP-synthase in the region of the polypeptide that is believed to contribute to nucleotide binding5. Thus, p21 may form part of an enzyme that uses purine nucleotides in catalysis. This is consistent with the finding that an equivalent marine oncogene product binds GTP6,7.

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Gay, N., Walker, J. Homology between human bladder carcinoma oncogene product and mitochondrial ATP-synthase. Nature 301, 262–264 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1038/301262a0

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