# THE FUNCTION OF THE RAS ONCOGENE HOMOLOG IN YEAST

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · 1987 · $176,302

## Abstract

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains two genes, RAS1 and RAS2, that
are functional homologs of the ras oncogene.  We propose to investigate the
role of the RAS gene products in regulating cell growth in yeast.
Information obtained from the study of the yeast system should be relevant
to the function of the mammalian ras oncogene, given the functional
homology between yeast and mammalian cells.  Two basic questions are
addressed in this research proposal:

1) What pathway(s) does the RAS gene product function in?  We have isolated
a series of mutations that eliminate the essential requirement for RAS.
Identification and characterization of these suppressors should provide
important clues to the pathway through which RAS acts.  We have identified
one suppressor gene as the regulatory subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent
protein kinase and have preliminarily identified two others as adenylate
cyclase and cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase.  These results support the
hypothesis that the major function of RAS is to activate adenylate
cyclase.  We propose to confirm our preliminary assignment of the two
suppressors and determine the function of a third bypass mutant.

Our preliminary mutant hunt has successfully identified genes that, in most
cases, function downstream of RAS.  What are the activities upstream in
this pathway or pathways?  Genetic screens will be used in an attempt to
identify the proteins that may act upstream of RAS.

2) What proteins directly interact with the RAS gene products?  The bypass
suppressors we have isolated help identify the pathway that the RAS gene
product acts in but do not necessarily identify those gene products that
physically interact with RAS.  We will isolate temperature dependent
mutations in RAS2.  Pseudorevertants of these mutations will be isolated
using a method that should eliminate the background of bypass suppressors.
Allele-specific "interaction" suppressors will identify likely candidates
for genes whose products directly interact with RAS2.

Based on preliminary findings, the cell division cycle mutation cdc25 is a
candidate for a gene whose product interacts with RAS.  We will continue
our biochemical and genetic characterization of this gene.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3175500
- **Project number:** 2R01CA037702-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- **SAM.gov UEI:** GM1XX56LEP58
- **Principal Investigator:** Kelly Tatchell
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1987
- **Award amount:** $176,302
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1984-07-01 → 1992-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3175500

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3175500, THE FUNCTION OF THE RAS ONCOGENE HOMOLOG IN YEAST (2R01CA037702-03). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3175500. Licensed CC0.

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