# REGULATION OF EXPRESSION OF THE THYMIDINE KINASE GENE

> **NIH NIH R01** · LSU HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER · 1990 · $118,033

## Abstract

The objective of this proposal is an understanding of the
mechanisms which control expression of the human thymidine
kinase (tk) gene during the cell cycle and the onset of cell
proliferation.  The ultimate goal is a better understanding of
those factors that are involved in the commitment of a cell to
replicate.  Our studies will involve measurement of transcription
rates with nuclear run off assays, measures of steady state tk
mRNAs levels, TK enzyme activities and TK protein levels with
different cell stimuli and synchronization methods.  We will rely
heavily on serum stimulations of quiescent cells as well as
separation of specific phases of the cell cycle by centrifugal
elutriation.  We will also make recombinant DNA constructs with
different portions of the gene and the promoter to determine
those sequences which are most important to the different modes
of regulation and determine whether they work at transcriptional
or post-transcriptional levels.  Specific experiments using serum
depletion or butyrate G1 blocks are designed to test for changes in
mRNA stability at different stages of the cell cycle.

Further experiments will be carried out to characterize the
promoter region, both with deletion and mutation experiments as
well as protein binding experiments to identify cruical promoter
and/or regulatory regions of the gene.  We will also follow up
methylation studies to determine whether methylation changes
observed upstream of the gene in germ line cell also correlate
with possible methylation changes associated with the
transformation process.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3175477
- **Project number:** 5R01CA037673-06
- **Recipient organization:** LSU HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER
- **SAM.gov UEI:** M7KCJ79FAVH5
- **Principal Investigator:** Prescott L. Deininger
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1990
- **Award amount:** $118,033
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1984-07-01 → 1991-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3175477

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3175477, REGULATION OF EXPRESSION OF THE THYMIDINE KINASE GENE (5R01CA037673-06). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3175477. Licensed CC0.

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