Nuclear phosphoproteins HMGA and their relationship with chromatin structure and cancer.

Riccardo Sgarra, Alessandra Rustighi, Michela A Tessari, Julie Di Bernardo, Sandro Altamura, Alfredo Fusco, Guidalberto Manfioletti, Vincenzo Giancotti

Journal: FEBS letters 2004;574(1-3):1-8

PMID: 15358530

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Abstract

The structural characteristics of the three nuclear phosphoproteins of the high mobility group A family are outlined and related to their participation in chromatin structure alteration in many biological processes such as gene expression, neoplastic transformation, differentiation, and apoptosis. The elevated expression of these proteins in tumor cells and their post-translational modifications, such as phosphorylation, acetylation and methylation, are discussed and suggested as suitable targets for cancer chemotherapy.

Address: Dipartimento di Biochimica, Biofisica e Chimica delle Macromolecole, via L. Giorgieri 1, Università di Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy.

DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2004.08.013