Previous work has identified a group of genes whose products play important roles in two seemingly unrelated processes: cell cycle progression and splicing. The products of these genes show a network of physical and genetic interactions suggestive of the existence of a protein complex, the cell cycle and splicing complex (CSC). Here we analyze the genetic interactions between ISY1, SYF2 and NTC...

Diallyl disulfide (DADS), a major organosulfur compound of garlic oil, is known to have an anticancer effect on human cancer cells. However, the exact mechanisms of this anticancer activity remain unclear. Here, we investigate the effects of DADS on cell cycle progression in human colon cancer HCT-116 cells by exploring the role played by regulatory molecules such as p53 and cyclin B1. Treatmen...

Following DNA damage, human cells arrest primarily in the G(1) and G(2) phases of the cell cycle. Here, we show that after irradiation, human cancer cells with targeted deletion of PTEN or naturally occurring PTEN mutations can exert G(1) and G(2) arrests but are unable to arrest in size. Pharmacological inhibition of phosphoinositol-3-kinase or mTOR in PTEN(-/-) cells restored the size arrest,...

BACKGROUND The antihyperglycemic drug metformin may have beneficial effects on the prevention and treatment of cancer. Metformin is known to activate AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). It has also been shown to inhibit cyclin D1 expression and proliferation of some cultured cancer cells. However, the mechanisms of action by which metformin mediates cell cycle arrest are not completely underst...

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Vpr protein affects cell morphology and prevents proliferation of human cells by induction of cell cycle G2 arrest. In this study, we used the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe as a model system to investigate the cellular effects of HIV-1 vpr gene expression. The vpr gene was cloned into an inducible fission yeast gene expression vector and...