Driver Mutations and Cancer Progression

Question 1

What is Tumourigenesis?

Answer 1

Formation of tumours from normal cells

Question 2

What are driver mutations?

Answer 2

Any mutation that provides a selective growth advantage

Question 3

What are 2 sources of driver mutations?

Answer 3

1. Oncogenes (gas pedal stuck down)
   gain function =…
   - promote cell growth and division
   - allow cells to multiply rapidly
2. Tumour suppression genes (brakes failed)
   loss function =…
   - broken barriers of cell replication
   - permits cells to proliferate excessively

Question 4

What is a passenger mutation?

Answer 4

Any mutation that does not provide a selective growth advantage

Question 5

What is RSV-mediated transformation?

Answer 5

refers to how Rous Sarcoma Virus (a retro virus) turns normal cells to cancerous ones.

Question 6

What is the process of RSV-transformation

Answer 6

• Retrovirus’ RNA is reverse transcribed into cDNA
• cDNA in integrated into host genome
• hosts cellular machinery is used to replicate viral DNA.