Flipping the switch: Scientists shed new light on genetic changes that turn 'on' cancer genes salkinstitute nature
, yet the impact of specific types such as structural variants that break and rejoin DNA, can vary widely. The findings, published inon December 7, 2022, show that the activity of those mutations depends on the distance between a particular gene and the sequences that regulate the gene, as well as on the level of activity of the regulatory sequences involved.
This work advances the ability to predict and interpret which genetic mutations found in cancer genomes are causing the disease. "If we can better understand why a person has cancer, and what particular genetic mutations are driving it, we can better assess risk and pursue new treatments," says Salk physician-scientist Jesse Dixon, senior author of the paper and an assistant professor in the Gene Expression Laboratory.
Most genetic mutations have no impact on a cancer and the molecular incidents that lead to oncogene activation are relatively rare. Dixon's lab studies how genomes are organized in 3D space and seeks to understand why these changes happen in some, but not the majority, of circumstances. The team also wants to identify factors that might distinguish where and when these events occur."A gene is like a light and what regulates it are like the light switches," says Dixon.
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