As we discussed in unit 2, aberrant gene transcription can occur due to gene mutation (change, deletion, addition) or by epigenetic modulation of the nucleosome (histone acetylation, cytosine methylation, etc.). Cancer occurs due to aberrant gene transcription and expression. For example, the article presented by Ma, J. et. al, discusses the effects of nucleotide deletions of a gene sequence (truncation) in the promoter of the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) gene. This deletion causes constituent activation (transcription) of a gene that is commonly silenced in breast epithelial cells. On the other hand, the promoters of genes Signal Transducer And Activator Of Transcription 3 (STAT3) and SRY (Sex Determining Region Y)-Box 1 (Sox1) are differentially methylated in prostate cancer offering an example of epigenetic cause of cancer.

For this discussion,

Find a peer-reviewed article that offers an example of how transcription is altered by either gene mutation or epigenetic regulation of a promoter or regulatory elements.