Viral proteins Apoptin and PCV-1 VP3 selectively cause apoptosis in cancerous cells. The first 315 bps of PCV-1 VP3 share homology with apoptin, the second 306 bps (Tail), are non-homologous to apoptin. Apoptin undergoes nuclear localization in cancerous cells, where PCV-1 VP3 is cytoplasmically localized, due to a strong nuclear export sequence in the ‘Tail”. To determine if nuclear localization was necessary for apoptin to induce apotosis, the “Tail” of PCV-1 VP3 was fused to apoptin. The fused protein was transfected into H1299 lung cancer cells. Localization and apoptosis studies were done. It was found that the fused protein localized to the cytoplasm but did not induce apoptosis, implying that nuclear localization may be a critical step in the induction of apoptosis by apoptin.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Tsougranis, George H.
• LeBlanc, Michael J.

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-043014-194336

Advisor

• Heilman, Destin

Year

• 2014

Date created

• 2014-04-30

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Biochemistry
• Interdisciplinary

Rights statement

• In Copyright