RAS Proteins – Key Regulators of Cell Cycle
Keywords:
RAS, activating mutation, farnesylation, cancer, RASopathyAbstract
RAS proteins are small guanosine triphosphatases controlling the cell growth, differentiation, proliferation, survival, and death. They are encoded by ras proto-oncogenes, frequently mutated, in many cancer tissues and in the whole group of congenital defects. Understanding the structure, kinetics and signaling of RAS proteins allow the use of ras genes and RAS proteins as diagnostic biomarkers.