TAF8 is a small protein that is associated with the general transcriptional apparatus. TAF8 is not an essential part of the general transcriptional machinery, but rather a regulatory molecule that appears to dictate how the machinery is used to express different genes. The absence of TAF8 leads to expression of genes controlling cell death. Since the avoidence of cell death is essential to the development of cancer these results will lead to a better understanding of how cancer develops.
The Role Of The Mammalian Grainyhead-like Gene Family In Neural Tube Closure
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$635,547.00
Summary
Failure of the skin to close over the brain and spinal cord during human development results in the devastating congenital birth defects anencephaly and spina bifida, known collectively as the neural tube defects. These are the second most common congenital birth defects affecting 1:1000 pregnancies. Our laboratories have identified a family of genes essential for the closure of the neural tube in mammals. The aim of this proposal is to understand the mechanisms of action of these genes with a v ....Failure of the skin to close over the brain and spinal cord during human development results in the devastating congenital birth defects anencephaly and spina bifida, known collectively as the neural tube defects. These are the second most common congenital birth defects affecting 1:1000 pregnancies. Our laboratories have identified a family of genes essential for the closure of the neural tube in mammals. The aim of this proposal is to understand the mechanisms of action of these genes with a view to developing new preventative therapeutics.Read moreRead less