Tumor suppressor gene identification using retroviral insertional mutagenesis in Blm-deficient mice.

ABSTRACT: Retroviral insertional mutagenesis preferentially identifies oncogenes rather than tumor suppressor (TS) genes, presumably because a single retroviral-induced mutation is sufficient to activate an oncogene and initiate a tumor, whereas two mutations are needed to inactivate a TS gene. Here we show that TS genes can be identified by insertional mutagenesis when the screens are performed in Blm-deficient backgrounds. Blm-deficient mice, like Bloom syndrome patients, have increased frequencies of mitotic recombination owing to a mutation in the RecQ protein-like-3 helicase gene. This increased mitotic recombination increases the likelihood that an insertional mutation in one allele of a TS gene will become homozygoused by non-sister chromatid exchange and the homozygosity of the insertion pro

SUBMITTER: Suzuki T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1523184 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature