Molecular Characterization of human KRAS protein using Bioinformatics tools

Abstract

Cancer is an abnormal growth of cells caused by multiple changes in gene expression leading to dysregulated balance of cell proliferation and cell death and ultimately evolving into a population of cells that can invade tissue and metastasize to distant sites , causing significant morbidity and if untreated death of host. Cancer develops due to genetic damage to DNA and epigenetic changes. These changes affect the normal functions of the cell, including cell proliferation, programmed cell death (apoptosis) and DNA repair. GTPase Kras also known as V-Ki-ras2 Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog and Kras is a stable protein having length of about 189 a.a and molecular weight about 21655.83, in humans it is encoded by the KRAS gene. The protein product of the normal KRAS gene performs an essential function in normal tissue signalling, and the mutation of a KRAS gene is an essential step in the development of many cancers. Hence the present investigation was carried out to understand the molecular features of Kras protein by retrieving the protein sequence information from major protein database of bioinformatics.This analysis forms the base for the detailed understanding of molecular mechanism of Kras during onset of various cancers and further work on this, can pave a new dimension for the treatment of cancer.