The Superfamily of ras-Related Genes

since the earliest results on the linkage between ras activation and cell transformation appeared a vast amount of additional information has been generated which emphasizes the importance of ras-related genes in membrane trafficking, cell proliferation, differentiation and cancer. These advances led to the development of new strategies for the diagnosis, prognosis and prevention of cancer. Ras-related genes appear to be central to the mechanism of transformation by other oncogenes and therefore constitute a focal point upon which attempts to intervene in the process of carcinogenesis will be concentrated. The present volume contains the contributions to the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on the "The Superfamily of ras-Related Genes" held in Agia Pelagia, Heraklion, Crete, Greece, May 1991. At this meeting the leading researchers in this field carne together to discuss the most recent progress in analysis of biological function of the ras-related genes. As an organizer I feel that the Workshop was a success, and would like to thank all the participants and the contributors to this volume. I thank the NATO Scientific Affairs Division, Brussels, the Greek Ministry of Industry, Energy and Technology, the International Center for Cancer Research, the National Hellenic Research Foundation and the Medical School, University of Crete for sponsoring the Meeting.

Klappentext

Proceedings of a NATO ARW held in Aghia Pelagia, Crete, Greece, May 17-21, 1991

Zusammenfassung
Proceedings of a NATO ARW held in Aghia Pelagia, Crete, Greece, May 17-21, 1991

Inhalt
Time-Resolved Biochemical Studies of ras Proteins by Fluorescence Measurements on Tryptophan Mutants.- Prenylation of ras and ras-Related Proteins.- The YPT Gene Family of Schizosaccharomyces pombe.- Phosphorylation of rap Proteins by the cAMP-Dependent Protein Kinase.- Regulation of the ras Pathway in the Fission Yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe.- Characterization of Normal and Mutant Human Kirsten ras(4B) p21 and of the Catalytic Domain of GAP.- The Signal Transduction Pathway Upstream of CDC25-ras-adenylate Cyclase in the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and its Relationship to Nutrient Control of Cell Cycle Progression.- Differential p21 Expression and Point Mutations of ras Gene Family in Human Carcinoma Tissues.- Rearrangement of the Human mel Gene, the rab 8 Homologue, in Human Malignant Melanomas.- ras Mutations in Preleukaemia in Patients Following Cytotoxic Therapy and in Normal Subjects.- Characterization of the Human N-ras Promoter Region.- ras and rap1 GTPases Mutated at Position 64.- Progressive Factors in Oncogene Transfected Rodent Embryo Fibroblasts.- The YPT-Branch of the ras Superfamily of GTP-Binding Proteins in Yeast: Functional Importance of the Putative Effector Region.- The v-Ki-ras Oncogene Up-Regulates Major Histocompatibility Class II Antigen Expression in Early-Passage Fibroblasts.- Increases in Phospholipase A2 Activity and in the ADP Ribosylation of G Proteins in K-ras-Transformed Thyroid Cells.- Suppression of the Phenotype of T24 H-ras1 Transformed Cells.- Search for Correlations between K-ras Oncogene Activation and Pathology, in Sporadic and Familial Colonic Adenomas.- Molecular Evolution of the Ha-ras-1 Oncogene: Relationship Between DNA Methylation, Frequency of CpG Dinucleotides and Binding to the Sp1 Transacting Factor.- Ha-ras-1Transfected Cells: Induction to Differentiation by Natural and Synthetic Retinoids.- The Three-Dimensional Structure of p21 in the Catalytically Active Conformation and Analysis of Oncogenic Mutants.- Detection of N-ras Mutations in Acute Myeloid Leukemia.- Evidence for ras-Dependent and Independent Pathways in NGF-Induced Neuronal Differentiation of PC12 Cells.- Prognostic Implications of ras Oncogene Expression in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.- Possible Role for Ha-ras Expression in Inducible Steroidogenesis in Immortalized Granulosa Cell Lines.- Biological Function of Aplysia californica rho Gene.- The c-Ha-ras Oncogene Induces Increased Expression of ?-Galactoside ?-2,6-Sialyltransferase in Rat Fibroblast (FR3T3) Cells.- Localization of rab Proteins.- The Drosophila ras2/cs1 Bidirectional Promoter Shares Consensus Sequences with the Human c-Ha-ras1 Promoter.- Oncogene Expression and Cervical Cancer.- The Effect of H-ras and c-myc Oncogene Transfection on the Response of Lung Epithelial Cells to Growth Factors and Cytotoxic Drugs.- The rap protein family: rap1A, rap1B, rap2A and rap2B.- Expression of the Drosophila ras2/cs1 Gene Pair During Development.- Transcriptional Regulation of c-Ha-ras1 Gene.- Effects of v-H-ras on Immortalized Non-Tumorigenic Human Mammary Epithelial Cells.- SDC25, a New Gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Homologous to CDC25; The 3?-Part of SDC25 Encodes an Exchange Factor Able to Act on ras Proteins.