This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Living cells are one of the few materials that can replicate themselves, and this is crucial for tissue development and recovery from injury or illness. But making sure cell division only happens at the right time is essential; otherwise, unregulated replication can lead to problems like cancer.
Researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, are studying how cells know when and how to divide, and how genes known to be important in cancer influence these processes. A new study published in The EMBO Journal finds that a gene affected in many cancers, known as E2F1, can cause cells to divide without having to abide by the normal rules of cell division. Instead of having to unpack the genetic material inside the cell, E2F1 takes a shortcut by binding directly to a small area of the DNA that remains tightly packaged inside the cell.
This discovery helps illuminate the processes that drive cell proliferation and may influence the growth of cancer, potentially helping researchers design more precise and targeted treatments. Ali Shariati, associate professor of biomolecular engineering at the Baskin School of Engineering, conducted this research alongside Seth Rubin, professor of chemistry and biochemistry. Rubin's lab focuses on the biochemistry and gene expression of cell division, while Shariati's lab studies how cells translate input from the body to decide whether to divide.
Former BME postdoctoral scholar Gerrald Lodewijk, who is now a staff scientist at biotech company Illumina, led the project. Nearly all cells have the ability to divide, but the majority don't, instead waiting in a state similar to hibernation. And this hibernation doesn't happen automatically—the body must constantly send signals to prevent cell division.
Otherwise, any body part could grow bigger than its proper size or develop tumors or cancer. "Cells can't just rely on the assumption that they will stop dividing," Shariati said. "The cells need to actively say, 'This is the liver; it should be this large, and after we reach this critical size, let's just stop dividing.' That's called homeostatic behavior, and that's not a trivial task for the body.
It's a state where the cells are ready to be activated, but normally aren't, unless there is an external requirement. It's a delicate balance to maintain." To recover from injuries or illness, the body can send a signal to cells to leave hibernation and divide. To do so, it must instruct cells to physically unpack the DNA that is tightly wrapped around proteins inside their nuclei—a process well documented in biology textbooks.
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