Is p53 a gene or protein? refresh my memory ...what exactly is a gene?

Answer 1

Hi, for your first question p53 is a protien though you were right about it being involved in genetics. Tumor protein 53 (TP53), is a transcription factor that regulates the cell cycle and hence functions as a tumor suppressor. It is very important for cells in multicellular organisms to suppress cancer. p53 has been described as "the guardian of the genome", "the guardian angel gene", or the "master watchman", referring to its role in conserving stability by preventing genome mutation.

Well I pulled out my old textbook from high school for this one so it's technical but accurate. A gene is a locatable region of genomic sequence, corresponding to a unit of inheritance, which is associated with regulatory regions, transcribed regions and/or other functional sequence regions. If you have anymore questions on the topic of genetics please email me at [e-mail]


Sorry for any spelling mistakes I might of missed to correct.

Answer 2

It is both a gene and a protein. Genes, as we now define them (this will change very soon), for the most part encode protein coding sequence. Thus genes code for proteins, this is the old and not very accurate central dogma of molecular biology. Ask what exactly is a gene in five years and what you hear now will be very different from what you are told then. p53 is sometimes called the protector of the genome, and it is true that to some degree p53 is involved in maintenance and stability of the genome. However in no way, shape, or form does p53 prevent mutations or correct them. It is a transcription factor that can bind DNA along with other regulatory protein interaction partners to regulate the expression of genes involved in cell division and cell death. It does allow for a cell that has acquired DNA damage, and only a specific type of DNA damage, to be in a state to repair itself or kill itself.

Answer 3

p53 is a gene that regulates transcription of DNA.

A gene is a segment of DNA that codes for a specific protein. Since everything cells do is done with proteins (or fats or other nutrients that the proteins manage), genes regulate everything that cells do.