Exploring Cancer Mutations in MCL1 & Novel Protein ZYX: Experiments & Discoveries

1. Question 1: • You have joined a lab for your graduate studies and your project is to study a mutation in MCL1 that was discovered in an Argentinian family with a history of cancer. • This mutation is K123A. From patient biopsies, your initial observation is that MCL1 is localized to mitochondria in tumor cells and nuclear in the normal cells of a cancer patient. • Describe several experiments you could undertake to understand the biology of K123A mutation. • Question 2: • You have finished you PhD and you have just started you post-doc training. Your project is to investigate a novel protein ZYX with the following characteristics and observations: • 1. ZYX is a tumor suppressor with unknown function • 2. ZYX has 86% sequence identity to the PHD domain of MEKK1. • 3. Binds to the oncogene ABC in the cytoplasm • 4. ABC interacts with the kinase PKB in the nucleus, but not the cytoplasm • Describe various experiments to explore the biology of your novel protein ZYX.