MCB 104 Cancer lectures ACTUAL
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
What are oncogenes? - Correct answers✔Genes that can transform normal cells into tumors.
They promote cell proliferation. You start with two copies of WT proto-oncogene. One of those
copies get a gain-of-function mutation which turns the proto-oncogene into an oncogene so now
you have one WT proto-oncogene and one mutant oncogene. You only need one copy of the
mutant oncogene to develop cancer so this is caused by an overactive protein promoting
excessive cell proliferation
What is an example of a gain of function mutation? - Correct answers✔Ras
What is an example of a tumor suppressor gene? - Correct answers✔p53
what is a tumor suppressor gene? - Correct answers✔A tumor suppressor gene is a gene that gets
a loss-of-function mutation that causes a tumor suppressor gene to be downregulated, which halts
protecting the cell from proliferation. So you start off with two copies of WT tumor-suppressor
genes. These copies will generate proteins that inhibit cell proliferation or proteins that protect
the genome. If you get two copies of a loss-of-function mutation, you get two mutant
tumorsuppressor genes which cause no active protein product. You get a loss of your cell-cycle
brake which allows for excessive proliferation or you get loss of genome protection which leads
to increased mutation rate. You need both copies of your tumor suppressor gene to be mutated to
develop cancer.
How would you try to distinguish driver from passenger mutations? - Correct answers✔1. you
sequence the cells from the tumor of cancer patients and see if there are any shared mutations
(GWAS)
2. If you only have one patient, you could see comparisons between the presence of either the
passenger mutation or driver mutation in a healthy cell of their (e.g. blood sample) and in a
tumor cell.
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
What are oncogenes? - Correct answers✔Genes that can transform normal cells into tumors.
They promote cell proliferation. You start with two copies of WT proto-oncogene. One of those
copies get a gain-of-function mutation which turns the proto-oncogene into an oncogene so now
you have one WT proto-oncogene and one mutant oncogene. You only need one copy of the
mutant oncogene to develop cancer so this is caused by an overactive protein promoting
excessive cell proliferation
What is an example of a gain of function mutation? - Correct answers✔Ras
What is an example of a tumor suppressor gene? - Correct answers✔p53
what is a tumor suppressor gene? - Correct answers✔A tumor suppressor gene is a gene that gets
a loss-of-function mutation that causes a tumor suppressor gene to be downregulated, which halts
protecting the cell from proliferation. So you start off with two copies of WT tumor-suppressor
genes. These copies will generate proteins that inhibit cell proliferation or proteins that protect
the genome. If you get two copies of a loss-of-function mutation, you get two mutant
tumorsuppressor genes which cause no active protein product. You get a loss of your cell-cycle
brake which allows for excessive proliferation or you get loss of genome protection which leads
to increased mutation rate. You need both copies of your tumor suppressor gene to be mutated to
develop cancer.
How would you try to distinguish driver from passenger mutations? - Correct answers✔1. you
sequence the cells from the tumor of cancer patients and see if there are any shared mutations
(GWAS)
2. If you only have one patient, you could see comparisons between the presence of either the
passenger mutation or driver mutation in a healthy cell of their (e.g. blood sample) and in a
tumor cell.
