[Seminar @C210] Swathy Babu, Physiological Function of a Tumor Suppressor Gene, Banp, in Cell Cycle Regulation

Speaker: Swathy Babu, Developmental Neurobiology (Masai) Unit

Title: Physiological Function of a Tumor Suppresser Gene, Banp in Cell Cycle Regulation

Abstract:  BTG3-associated nuclear protein (Banp), is known to bind DNA and associate with other cellular proteins to regulate a variety of cellular mechanisms from transcription to protein modification. Human and mouse banp genes were identified in 2000 by Birot, A., et al., and Chattopadhyay, S., et al. In vitro studies using mammalian systems demonstrated that Banp to be a nuclear matrix attachment region-binding protein and has a tumor suppressor as well as cell regulatory functions involving several different pathways: p53-mediated DNA damage response and transcriptional regulation of genes that regulate apoptosis, cell cycle, and cancer metastasis. Recently, it was reported that in vivo delivery of a banp-derived peptide via carbon nanospheres inhibits breast tumor in mice, indicating that Banp is efficacious for human cancer therapy. However, the mechanism by which Banp regulates developmental process in multicellular organisms is unknown. Whole-body banp knockout mice are embryonic lethal, suggesting that Banp plays a fundamental role in development. Hence, it remains difficult to study the function of embryonically lethal genes in mouse models.
My study attempts to understand physiological aspects of the tumor suppressor gene, banp, using zebrafish, one of the best vertebrate models for developmental biology research. I am investigating a zebrafish banp mutant, rw337. rw337 was identified from a genetic screen for defects in retinal development. The vertebrate retina comprises six major classes of neurons. During retinal development, multi-potent progenitor cells generate these six classes of neurons, suggesting that the retina provides an excellent model to study mechanisms underlying cell proliferation and differentiation. I am using this zebrafish whole body banp mutant to delineate developmental and physiological functions of Banp in orchestrating the cell cycle, apoptosis and DNA damage response. Since existing studies on banp have been based on in-vitro mammalian cell culture systems, this work promises to provide a better in-vivo understanding of Banp functions.

Please note the change of the venue for this week. The seminar will be held at C210 (Center Building)

After the talk, please join for discussion with free soft drinks and pizza!