DDB_G0289243 - dictyBase/community-annotations GitHub Wiki
The computer has already noticed that this gene is similar to the widely-conserved ''folliculin interacting protein'' FNIP. Dicty in fact has a homolog of folliculin (DDB_G0281111), which the computer has also identified. In mammals, folliculin is a tumor suppressor protein, mutation of which in the Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome leads to renal and pulmonary cysts, renal cancer, and noncancerous tumors of the hair follicles. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birt–Hogg–Dubé_syndrome Birt-Hogg-Dubé](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birt–Hogg–Dubé_syndrome Birt-Hogg-Dubé). Folliculin participates in a complex with FNIP1 and FNIP2 which "binds to AMPK and might therefore interact with energy and nutrient sensing pathways" see Linehan et al Nature Reviews Urology 7 (2010).
The mammalian FNIP1 and FNIP2 proteins are closely related and appear to be represented in Dicty by a single gene. This gene is strongly cell-cycle regulated, maximally expressed in cold-synchronization experiments at the same time as most Dicty S-phase and M-phase genes, circa 2 hours before M. It also shows the developmental trajetory typical of cell cycle genes (the correlation coefficient with the trajectory of polA1 is 0,99). Unlike most cell cycle genes, but similar to a few such as cycB and cdc25, DDB_G0289243 is not regulated by the Dicty Rb ortholog rblA.
In mammals, the exact mechanism of folliculin-associated carcinogenesis does not seem to be understood. FNIP is not identifiable in yeast, and although yeast does appear to have a possible folliculin homolog, called LST7, which affects hydroxyurea sensitivity and interacts with TOR, the yeast folks do not seem to have noticed it. Thus LST7 is discussed mainly in connection with the post-golgi secretory pathway ([https://www.yeastgenome.org/locus/S000003289 LST7](https://www.yeastgenome.org/locus/S000003289 LST7)). Another Dicty gene with links to renal cancer is the putative niban ortholog DDB_G0267786.
If there is anybody still interested in the metabolic functions of TOR in Dicty, these genes might make interesting objects for study.
Harry MacWilliams, July 2010
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