Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 1989 Jun;53(2):171-85.
doi: 10.1128/mr.53.2.171-185.1989.

The ras oncogene--an important regulatory element in lower eucaryotic organisms

J B Gibbs, M S Marshall
Review

The ras oncogene--an important regulatory element in lower eucaryotic organisms

J B Gibbs et al. Microbiol Rev. 1989 Jun.

Abstract

The ras proto-oncogene in mammalian cells encodes a 21-kilodalton guanosine triphosphate (GTP)-binding protein. This gene is frequently activated in human cancer. As one approach toward understanding the mechanisms of cellular transformation by ras, the function of this gene in lower eucaryotic organisms has been studied. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the RAS gene products serve as essential function by regulating cyclic adenosine monophosphate metabolism. Stimulation of adenylyl cyclase is dependent not only on RAS protein complexed to GTP, but also on the CDC25 and IRA gene products, which appear to control the RAS GTP-guanosine diphosphate cycle. Although analysis of RAS biochemistry in S. cerevisiae has identified mechanisms central to RAS action, RAS regulation of adenylyl cyclase appears to be strictly limited to this particular organism. In Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Dictyostelium discoideum, and Drosophila melanogaster, ras-encoded proteins are not involved with regulation of adenylyl cyclase, similar to what is observed in mammalian cells. However, the ras gene product in these other lower eucaryotes is clearly required for appropriate responses to extracellular signals such as mating factors and chemoattractants and for normal growth and development of the organism. The identification of other GTP-binding proteins in S. cerevisiae with distinct yet essential functions underscores the fundamental importance of G-protein regulatory processes in normal cell physiology.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. EMBO J. 1987 Nov;6(11):3353-7 - PubMed
    1. Mol Cell Biol. 1984 Nov;4(11):2298-305 - PubMed
    1. Nucleic Acids Res. 1984 Apr 25;12(8):3611-8 - PubMed
    1. Mol Cell Biol. 1987 Oct;7(10):3629-36 - PubMed
    1. Mol Cell Biol. 1988 Dec;8(12):5410-6 - PubMed

MeSH terms