RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 The Evolution, Functions and Applications of the Breast Cancer Genes <em>BRCA1</em> and <em>BRCA2</em>
JF Cancer Genomics - Proteomics
JO Cancer Genomics Proteomics
FD International Institute of Anticancer Research
SP 293
OP 298
VO 14
IS 5
A1 CLAIRE M. PFEFFER
A1 BENJAMIN N. HO
A1 AMARESHWAR T.K. SINGH
YR 2017
UL http://cgp.iiarjournals.org/content/14/5/293.abstract
AB BRCA1 and BRCA2 are both tumor suppressors whose mutations are the cause of most hereditary breast cancers. Both genes are highly involved in ensuring genome stability. BRCA1 homologs are found in the plant and animal kingdoms while BRCA2 homologs are additionally found in the fungi kingdom. The initial origin of both genes remains unknown, however it is expected that the common ancestors originated around 1.6 billion years ago prior to the kingdoms diverging. There has been a great amount of divergence between homologs that is not observed in other tumor suppressors with only functionally important domains conserved. This divergence continues today with evidence of primate BRCA1/2 evolution. Cancer-associated mutations have been found to occur at conserved sites, indicating that conserved sites are important for function. In this study, we present a review on the phylogenesis of BRCA1 and BRCA2.