NTU Undergraduates' research April 2014 - Biosciences | Page 45

Producing and Activity-dead Mutant
PIKE-A has been associated with the elevation of Akt activity, overexpression of both being
detected in a variety of human cancer cell lines. Here it has been described that Akt is a
downstream target of the PI 3-kinase pathway and is mediated independently from PI 3-kinase.
PIKE-A independently binds to the phosphorylated Akt via the GTPase domain but unlike the PIKES and PIKE-L isoforms it is not capable to bind to PI 3-kinase. Wild-type PIKE-A increases Akt
activity whereas dominant-negative should have no effect. The results are inconclusive although
suggest possible site-directed mutagenesis has occurred although sequencing require for
confirmation.
Chloe Turner