Focus 

A web focus on p53 from Cell Death & Differentiation and Cell Death & Disease

The importance of p53 is indicated by the fact that this is the most frequently mutated gene in any type of human cancer. In addition to the 50% of cases where it is mutated, there are also approximately 20% of cancer cases where p53 is functionally inactivated, providing evidence for the role of this gene in cancer progression. At the protein level, p53 family members act as transcription factors. The p53 protein structure has been resolved in different domains, and the transcriptional targets, the mechanism of binding and activating different promoters has been intensively studied. p53 regulates a wide variety of fundamental cellular processes, including metabolism, cell cycle, cell death, senescence, and the production of cytokine and inflammatory proteins. Therefore, p53 not only impinges on cancer, but also influences neurodegeneration, aging, autophagy, infertility among other physiological and pathological contexts. We now know that multiplep53 family members exist, and that these factors function in a wide variety of important biological processes..

Our journals have a strong interest in p53. In this Web Focus, we report some recently published papers about p53 in our journals. We hope that this selection is of interest to our readers.

Please also check out the p53 website a valuable resource for scientists working on p53.

 

 

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