Rescuing the function of mutant p53 protein is an attractive cancer therapeutic strategy. Using the National Cancer Institute's anticancer drug screen data, we identified two compounds from the thiosemicarbazone family that manifest increased growth inhibitory activity in mutant p53 cells, particularly for the p53(R175) mutant. Mechanistic studies reveal that NSC319726 restores WT structure and...

Genetic variation in populations can result in variation in levels of gene expression but the extent to which this occurs has been unclear. In this article, recent studies of allele-specific expression among autosomal non-imprinted genes are reviewed. These new data provide evidence that differential expression is relatively common and that allelic differences are heritable and can be highly co...

The recent isolation of the CLN3 gene involved in Batten disease (juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis) creates possibilities for direct detection of mutations which can confirm or indicate the clinical diagnosis of Batten disease. We have designed a rapid and reliable allele specific PCR test for the detection of the major deletion, which can be used in carrier diagnosis, presymptomatic dia...