V-Src
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Tyrosine-protein kinase transforming protein Src | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Identifiers | |||||||
| Organism | |||||||
| Symbol | v-src | ||||||
| Alt. symbols | pp60v-src | ||||||
| Entrez | 1491925 | ||||||
| RefSeq (Prot) | NP_056888.1 | ||||||
| UniProt | P00526 | ||||||
| Other data | |||||||
| EC number | 2.7.10.2 | ||||||
| Chromosome | viral: 0.01 - 0.01 Mb | ||||||
| |||||||
v-Src is a gene found in Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) that encodes a tyrosine kinase that causes a type of cancer in chickens.
The src gene is oncogenic as it triggers uncontrolled growth in abnormal host cells. It was the first retroviral oncogene to be discovered.[1] The src gene was taken up by RSV and incorporated into its genome[2] conferring it with the advantage of being able to stimulate uncontrolled mitosis of host cells, providing abundant cells for fresh infection.
The src gene is not essential for RSV proliferation but it greatly increases virulence when present.
Francis Peyton Rous first proposed that viruses can cause cancer. He proved it in 1911 and was later awarded the Nobel prize in 1966. Chickens grow a tumor called a fibrosarcoma. Rous collected and ground up these sarcomas, and then centrifuged them to remove the solid material. Next, the remaining liquid mixture was injected into chicks. The chicks developed sarcomas. The causative agent in the liquid was a virus, this is now called the Rous sarcoma virus (RSV).