Phosphorylation of INI1 Protein in vitro

Abstract

SWI/SNF mutations occur in twenty percent of all human cancers (Kim et al. 2014). Integrase Interactor 1 (INI1) is a key component of the SWI/SNF remodeling complex that acts as a tumor suppressor, and mutations or deletions of this gene are linked to atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors (Brenca et al. 2013). A basic knowledge of INI1 and its cellular mechanisms is crucial to understanding the protein’s role in the cell. In this study, we focus on the phosphorylation of INI1 protein to determine which protein kinase interacts with the protein in vitro. To date, one protein kinase (PKA) has been tested in a kinase assay and five others will be tested in the future. Though the results of the PKA reaction are inconclusive, further kinase assays will be performed to ascertain whether or not this kinase successfully phosphorylates INI1.