N4BP2 enzyme sparks catastrophic cancer genome reshuffling
UC San Diego researchers have identified the enzyme N4BP2 as the trigger of chromothripsis, a chromosome-shattering event that can drive rapid cancer evolution and treatment resistance. In micronuclei, N4BP2 fragments DNA; removing it reduces chromothripsis in brain cancer cells, and higher N4BP2 activity correlates with more chromothripsis and ecDNA across thousands of tumors, suggesting N4BP2 or its pathways could be targeted to slow cancer progression.
