Figure 1.

Potential mechanism of p53 tumor suppression via Zmat3 and other target genes. p53 transcriptionally activates numerous target genes with roles in tumor suppression, including Zmat3 (zinc finger matrin-type 3), encoding an RNA-binding protein. Direct Zmat3 binding to transcripts encoding negative regulators of p53 positions Zmat3 in a positive feedback loop with p53, amplifying the p53 network. In addition, Zmat3 binds and regulates alternative splicing of transcripts encoding proteins involved in various cellular processes that modulate transformation. Other tumor-suppressive p53 target genes include Ptpn14 (protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 14), which inhibits the Yap pathway; Mlh1 (mutL homolog 1), which promotes DNA repair; and Abca1 (ATP binding cassette subfamily A member 1), which inhibits the mevalonate pathway. “X” represents additional unknown target genes which may vary with context. Together, these targets comprise p53 tumor suppression function