Cancer mutations change p53 mRNA function

Maria Jose Lopez Iniesta et al.

We confirmed the presence of an IRES in the p53 mRNA. The secondary structure prediction of this IRES showed key nucleotide positions that matched some of the most common mutations found in cancer. In fact, in this study we identify two mutational hotspots that activate the IRES structure leading to higher expression of p53 short isoforms. Our results help explain why short isoforms are upregulated in the presence of missense “gain-of-function” mutations.