Title

Author

Faculty Advisor

Adams, David S.

Sponsor

UMass Medical School

Abstract

Smurf2 is an E3 ligase previously identified by our laboratory to be up-regulated by telomere shortening in senescent cells, and is sufficient to induce senescence in early passage human cells.  Both the p53 and pRB senescence pathways are utilized by Smurf2 to induce senescence, but the precise mechanism of Smurf2-induced senescence remains unknown.  The purpose of this project was to identify genes downstream of Smurf2 in the senescence pathways using a genome-wide short hairpin RNA (shRNA) screen in human fibroblasts.  Using this strategy, I have identified 13 potential modulators of Smurf2-induced senescence, including AHCYL1 and CDC42BPA.  Preliminary analysis indicates that AHCYL1 regulates senescence via the Smurf2-p53 pathway. 

Publisher

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Date Accepted

April 2009

Major

Biology and Biotechnology

Project Type

Major Qualifying Project

Additional files

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