Misidentified Human Gene Functions with Mouse Models: The Case of the Retinoblastoma Gene Family in Senescence.

ABSTRACT: Although mice models rank among the most widely used tools for understanding human genetics, biology, and diseases, differences between orthologous genes among species as close as mammals are possible, particularly in orthologous gene pairs in which one or more paralogous (i.e., duplicated) genes appear in the genomes of the species. Duplicated genes can possess overlapping functions and compensate for each other. The retinoblastoma gene family demonstrates typical composite functionality in its three member genes (i.e., RB1, RB2/P130, and P107), all of which participate in controlling the cell cycle and associated phenomena, including proliferation, quiescence, apoptosis, senescence, and cell differentiation. We analyzed the role of the retinoblastoma gene family in regulating senescence

SUBMITTER: Alessio N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5577395 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature