Genetics: From Genes to Genomes
6th Edition
ISBN: 9781259700903
Author: Leland Hartwell Dr., Michael L. Goldberg Professor Dr., Janice Fischer, Leroy Hood Dr.
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education
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Textbook Question
Chapter 20, Problem 28P
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and aggressive form of brain cancer in humans. Withoutany treatment, the mean survival rate is about three months. Even with standard treatments such as surgical resection, radiation, and chemotherapy, the mean survival rate is between seven and 14 months. GBM tumors differ in their spectrum of genetic changes, and these changes may influence the effect of particular treatments. Answer the following questions about the relevance of particular mutations to particular treatments and outcomes.
a. | Biopsies of about 20% of GBMs show the expression of a certain mutational variant ofthe EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) protein called EGFRvIII. The same cancerous cells of these GBMs also show the expression of normal, wild-type EGFR. Is the gene encoding EGFR a tumor-suppressor gene or a protooncogene? |
b. | It is very difficult to induce cells expressing EGFRvIII to undergo apoptosis. If you were a radiologist treating a patient with a GBM that expresses EGFRvIII, would you use a higher or lower dose of X-rays than with patients having GBMs with normal EGFR proteins? |
c. | EGFR is a protein that extends through the cell membrane, with an N-terminal extracellular part (amino acids 1–500) that binds epidermal growth factor (EGF) and an intracellular C-terminal kinase part (amino acids 501–1000) that is normally activated when EGF binds to EGFR. The active kinase phosphorylates (adds phosphate groups to) other proteins, setting off a signal transduction cascade that promotes cell growth and division. EGFRvIII is a deletion that removes amino acids 6 through 273 of the EGFR protein. How might this mutant protein contribute to cancer? |
d. | IressaTM is a drug that blocks the kinase activity of EGFR. Would you expect IressaTM to be a potential treatment for GBMs expressing EGFRvIII, or would you instead anticipate the drug would make the tumors grow faster? |
e. | Cisplatin is a platinum compound that binds to DNA and damages it, eventually leading to cell death. ERCC1 is a gene that encodes a DNA repair protein. GBMs are found that show much higher levels of transcription of ERCC1 than normal. Would you treat patients having such GBMs with higher or lower doses of cisplatin than patients whose tumors have normal amounts of ERCC1 mRNAs? |
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Chapter 20 Solutions
Genetics: From Genes to Genomes
Ch. 20 - For each of the terms in the left column, choose...Ch. 20 - Characterize the differences between tumor cells...Ch. 20 - Prob. 3PCh. 20 - Prob. 4PCh. 20 - A carcinogenic compound is placed on the skin of...Ch. 20 - You have decided to study genetic factors...Ch. 20 - B cells are specialized blood cells that secrete...Ch. 20 - Molecules outside and inside the cell regulate the...Ch. 20 - Put the following steps in the correct ordered...Ch. 20 - a. Would you expect a cell to continue or to stop...
Ch. 20 - Two different protein complexes called SCF and APC...Ch. 20 - One of the hallmarks of mitotic anaphase is the...Ch. 20 - Concerning the Tools of Genetics Box Analysis of...Ch. 20 - Are genome and karyotype instabilities...Ch. 20 - Prob. 15PCh. 20 - Why dont all loss-of-function mutations that are...Ch. 20 - Chromothripsis is a rare phenomenon, first...Ch. 20 - The chromosome 9/22 translocation associated with...Ch. 20 - A female patient 19 years old, whose symptoms are...Ch. 20 - Prob. 20PCh. 20 - A generic signaling cascade is shown in the...Ch. 20 - Neurofibromatosis type 1 NF1; also known as von...Ch. 20 - Families with germ-line BRCA1 or BRCA2...Ch. 20 - The text explained that retroviruses can cause...Ch. 20 - Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most frequent form...Ch. 20 - Suppose that instead of microarrays, you analyzed...Ch. 20 - Prob. 27PCh. 20 - Glioblastoma multiforme GBM is the most common and...Ch. 20 - a. The legend to Fig. 20.29 identifies which of...Ch. 20 - The website CBioPortal http://www.cbioportal.org...
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