# C-KIT & V-KIT: NORMAL FUNCTION & ONCOGENIC ACTIVATION

> **NIH NIH R01** · SLOAN-KETTERING INST CAN RESEARCH · 1990 · $215,031

## Abstract

The major objectives of our research program are (1) to identify
and characterize the gene products of the newly identified oncogene
c-kit, (2) to determine how a modified version of this gene v-kit
has acquired transforming activity, and (3) to characterize
oncogenes in new FeSV strains.

The HZ4-FeSV is a new acute transforming feline retrovirus we have
recently shown to contain a unique oncogene v-kit.  The
transforming protein of this virus is a gag-kit fusion protein.
The predicted amino acid sequence of v-kit displays features
characteristic of tyrosine specific protein kinases, v-fms being
its closest relative.  c-fms is known to be homologous with the
gene specifying the CSF-1 receptor.  Because of the close
relationship of v-kit with v-fms and PDGFR, we predict that the c-
kit gene product is a receptor which is functionally related to the
CSF-1 receptor.  To gain a deeper understanding of transformation
mediated by transmembrane receptor oncogenes a structural and
functional analysis of c-kit and v-kit in which similar and
dissimilar features of v-kit and v-fms and c-kit and c-fms will be
exploited is proposed.

In our proposed structural and functional studies of the c-kit gene
products we will investigate the expression of c-kit RNA and in
order to determine the primary structure of c-kit we will
molecularly clone a c-kit cDNA.  We will construct a retrovirus
expression vector containing the c-kit cDNA in order to investigate
the function and significance of domains in c-kit as they relate
to transformation by v-kit.  By using kit specific antibodies which
will be obtained as part of this proposal we will identify and
characterize the c-kit protein product(s).

Our studies on v-kit mediated transformation will include:  the
characterization of enzymatic activities associated with the gag-
kit protein; investigations of the significance of membrane
association of the gag-kit protein in transformation, the
significance of c-terminal sequences in v-kit transformation, and
the significance of the kit-specific middle domain in
transformation.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3170791
- **Project number:** 5R01CA032926-06
- **Recipient organization:** SLOAN-KETTERING INST CAN RESEARCH
- **SAM.gov UEI:** KUKXRCZ6NZC2
- **Principal Investigator:** PETER BESMER
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1990
- **Award amount:** $215,031
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1983-05-01 → 1990-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3170791

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3170791, C-KIT & V-KIT: NORMAL FUNCTION & ONCOGENIC ACTIVATION (5R01CA032926-06). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3170791. Licensed CC0.

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