First p53 Relative May Be a New Tumor Suppressor

CANCER GENETICSDespite being one of the most studied genes in history, the p53 tumor suppressor gene had no known relatives--until now. Researchers have identified a new gene, called p73 , that not only resembles p53 structurally but may have similar functions. That, plus p73 's location on a part of chromosome 1 already thought to harbor one or more tumor-suppressor genes, suggests that it, too, may play a role in inhibiting cancer development.