The p53 tumor suppressor gene--the "guardian of the genome"--protects cells against genotoxic stress but is mutated in many cancers. It encodes one of a family of transcription factors (p53, p63, and p73) that regulate cell proliferation, differentiation, senescence, and cell death. Mutations in p53 allow cells to escape normal growth controls and thereby contribute to tumor malignancy.
Written and edited by experts in the field, this collection from Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology provides a comprehensive review of the functions of the p53 family. The contributors examine the...