Aneuploidy — the presence of an abnormal number of chromosomes — is a common feature of cancer cells, but it is unclear how specific patterns of aneuploidy arise. These authors developed a computational method for identifying candidate tumour suppressors and oncogenes on the basis of mutation patterns in tumour samples. They found evidence that there are many cancer-driving genes for which a continuum of oncogenic potential exists, and they propose that the specific combinations of these genes on chromosomes explain the patterns of aneuploidy that arise in cancer.
References
Davoli, T. et al. Cumulative haploinsufficiency and triplosensitivity drive aneuploidy patterns and shape the cancer genome. Cell http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2013.10.011 (2013)
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Flintoft, L. Explaining aneuploidy patterns. Nat Rev Genet 14, 825 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrg3634
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrg3634