Tp53

Tp53 (pronounced tee-pee-fifty-three), also known as tumor protein p53, is a gene that codes for a protein that regulates the cell cycle and hence functions as a tumor suppressor. It is crucial for preventing cancer. In humans, the TP53 gene is located on the short arm of chromosome 17 (17p13.1).

Etymology

The name "Tp53" is derived from its molecular mass, which is approximately 53 kilodalton, a unit of measure in biochemistry. The "p" stands for protein.

Function

The protein encoded by the Tp53 gene is crucial in multicellular organisms, where it prevents cancer formation, thus, functions as a tumor suppressor. As such, p53 has been described as "the guardian of the genome" because of its role in conserving stability by preventing genome mutation.

Related Terms

• Cancer
• Tumor suppressor
• Protein
• Gene
• Cell cycle
• Genome
• Mutation

See Also

• Oncogene
• Carcinogenesis
• Apoptosis
• DNA repair

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