1. The p53 protein, known as the "guardian of the genome", plays an important role in protecting against cancer by preventing DNA mutations. Scientists have discovered that p53 is activated during meiosis to closely monitor DNA breaks and repairs, helping prevent mutations from being passed onto gametes. 2. Researchers discovered that the Mec1 protein in yeast acts as the "guardian of the genome" by repairing damaged DNA and replication machinery. Mec1 phosphorylates the SLX4 protein, triggering it to anchor to the replication machinery and perform repairs. 3. Understanding how proteins repair DNA damage provides insights that could lead to new approaches for curing diseases caused by genetic mutations, such as cancer

1. New Function Discovered in Cancer-Prevention Protein: P53 Is Activated to Control the Creation of Ova and Spermatozoa. 'Guardian of the Genome': Protein Helps Prevent Damaged DNA in YeastSusana Posada GómezMedicine student3rd semester

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4. INSTRUCTIONStudying processes that repair damaged DNA allows for a de variety of approaches to diseases that affect human beings like cancer and other pathologies developed from mutations in DNA that prevent the cell to make its processes as it should do interacting the external agents that are products of the evolution of man and ends up damaging its own cells and hurting the body. For this reason is important to study how to correct these mutations to avoid the deterioration of cells, and achieve a longer and healthier life.

5. New Function Discovered in Cancer-Prevention Protein: P53 Is Activated to Control The Creation of Ova and Spermatozoa.ScienceDailyJune 11, 2010

6. New Function Discovered in Cancer-Prevention Protein: P53 Is Activated to Control The Creation of Ova and Spermatozoa. ScienceDaily June 11, 2010The p53 protein (known as the “guardian of the genome”) plays an important role in protecting against cancer because it prevents the accumulation of mutations originated either by mechanisms of the cell, or by the action of external agents. P53 stops cell cycle when specific signals such as DNA breaks are presents, along either self-repairing damages or progression to apoptosis when this process fails; its codifying gene (TP53 gene) is regarded as a tumor suppressor because these actions.

7. New Function Discovered in Cancer-Prevention Protein: P53 Is Activated to Control The Creation of Ova and Spermatozoa. ScienceDaily June 11, 2010P53 is activated specifically during meiosis, the process of cell division resulting in gametes and in this moment the cell breaks down the DNA along the genome. Repair of these breaks, which is essential to successfully complete meiosis, is monitored closely by p53 to avoid mutations and the possibility of binding them to the gametes.

8. New Function Discovered in Cancer-Prevention Protein: P53 Is Activated to Control The Creation of Ova and Spermatozoa. ScienceDaily June 11, 2010The survey results help us understand more about the essential functions of this protein and how it prevents the formation of tumors, so it could open the do open the door to new approaches in the study of cancer.

9. STUDENT OPINIONThis discovery opens up new approaches to the study of cancer guiding a more accurate way to cure because it helps to understand the function of this protein in preventing tumor formation,

10. 'Guardian of the Genome': Protein Helps Prevent Damaged DNA in Yeast´. ScienceDailyAugust 5, 2010

11. 'Guardian of the Genome': Protein Helps Prevent Damaged DNA in Yeast´. ScienceDaily August 5, 2010According to Marcus Smolka, assistant professor of molecular biology and genetics, researchers at Weill Cornell University Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology have discovered how a protein called Mec1 plays the role of "guardian of the genome".Cells lacking Mec1 accumulate damaged DNA and become more sensitive to agents that interfere with replication, as this protein repairs the DNA replication machinery."Mec1 organizes the cellular response against things that threaten the integrity of the genome," Smolka said.

12. 'Guardian of the Genome': Protein Helps Prevent Damaged DNA in Yeast´. ScienceDaily August 5, 2010During replication, Mec1 accumulate in trouble spots (DNA damage or other blocks to replication). Mec1 is a kinase, a type of enzyme that phosphorylates other proteins, causing a functional change in the protein. Mec1 phosphorylates a protein known as SLX4, which then triggers SLX4 to anchor to the replication machinery and then to repair DNA and replication machinery.

13. 'Guardian of the Genome': Protein Helps Prevent Damaged DNA in Yeast´. ScienceDaily August 5, 2010These findings are important because humans have other proteins which are homologous to Mec1, called orthologs. This also been shown that mutations in human genes that produce proteins associated with Mec1, can lead to a predisposition to cancer and neurological disorders.

14. STUDENT OPINIONThis finding is extremely important because it allows you to find new ways to prevent and cure diseases like cancer, which so far is one of the most important goals sought by molecular biology studies.

15. MEDICAL UTILITY!

16. MEDICAL UTILITYHumans are increasingly exposed to genetic mutation, and that over time has been commissioned to produce external agents that cause such damage in the DNA, so also has studied about it.

17. MEDICAL UTILITYThese two stories tell of two discoveries that are of great importance as they open the field of cellular repair study, showing how the proteins play a key role in repairing DNA damage.

18. MEDICAL UTILITYBy better understanding and compliance with this process in the cells, it may come to know how to solve problems of genetic mutation, thus achieving a solution for q diseases are more concerned today as human beings is cancer.These studies not only serve to find solutions for cancer but also for many other diseases that have their origin in the genetic information such as Fanconi anemia, xerodermapigmentosum, Cockayne syndrome, among many others.

19. BIBLIOGRAPHYª W.-J. Lu, J. Chapo, I. Roig, J. M. Abrams. MeioticRecombinationProvokesFunctionalActivation of the p53 Regulatory Network. Science, 2010; 328 (5983): 1278 DOI: 10.1126/science.1185640 from: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100607111322.htmª Ohouo et al. DNA DamageSignalingRecruitsthe Rtt107-Slx4 Scaffoldsvia Dpb11 toMediateReplication Stress Response. Molecular Cell, 2010; 39 (2): 300 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2010.06.019 from: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100801101914.htm

20. ¨We used to think that our future was in the stars. Now we know it's in our genes.¨James WatsonTHANK YOU!