Penn State researchers recently discovered a gene that may help further cancer research in humans.

The new gene called "mats," which stands for "Mob as tumor suppressor," belongs to a family of genes known as Mob, said Zhi-Chun Lai, lead researcher and associate professor of biology and biochemistry and molecular biology.

Although the team studied this gene in fruit flies, their findings can be applied to cancer research in humans, Takeshi Shimizu (graduate-biochemistry) said.

"This discovery extends our understanding of the mechanism that regulates normal [cell] and cancer [cell] development, and such knowledge could be important for understanding and treatment of human cancer," he said.

Shimizu said the mutant gene, or non-functioning mats gene, causes the cells to divide more and become resistant to death, leading to tumors.

In one experiment, the team inserted the functioning mats gene into mutant flies that had tumors, Lai said.

When the flies with the mats gene reproduced, the offspring did not develop tumors, he said.

Even when the human version of the mats gene was inserted in the fly's genome, the offspring still had no tumors, Lai said.

"The fact the human gene can do the same thing as the fly gene means the function is similar," Lai said.

Fruit flies have one mats gene in their genome whereas humans have two in their genome, he said.

Lai said the "evolutionary conservation" in both the fly and human genes is "striking," with the genes being 85 percent identical. The conservation in the gene means its function is important, he said.

The team also discovered that the mats gene directly interacts with another tumor suppressor gene called "Wts protein kinase," or Wts, said Xiaomu Wei (graduate-genetics).

Numerous researchers in the past 10 years have studied Wts, she said, but they have never been able to show how it is activated.

"Our research demonstrates mats is used to activate Wts," Wei said.

Lai described the interactions between the two genes as a lock and a key.

"Our molecule is like a key; it is able to turn on the tumor suppressor activity in Wts," he said.

This effect was demonstrated in another of the team's experiments in which the Wts and mats genes were inserted into fruit flies, Shimizu said.

"The over-expression of Wts and mats reduced the size of the flies' eyes, which indicates mats' role is to increase Wts' function," he said.

The team's research was published in the March 11 edition of the journal Cell, Lai said.

The research was supported by the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health and Innovative Biotechnology Research Fund at Penn State, he said.