BOP1– A Key Player of Ribosomal Biogenesis

Ribosomal biogenesis involves coordination of protein complexes for translation, cell growth and differentiation. An analysis of ribosomal biogenesis factor ERB1/ BOP1 in evolution and cancer was carried out using comparative bioinformatics approaches focusing on protein domain identification, phylogenetic analysis, homology modelling, analyses of gene expression and interaction networks. We have identified WD40 domain as an essential co-occurring domain in all the BOP1 proteins predominantly in eukaryotes and also identified some key structural motifs in BOP1. A strong correlation of BOP1 has been observed in multiple signalling pathways, dysregulation of which leads to cancer. Using interaction networks and data mining, which are literature-derived, we have identified important interaction partners of PeBoW complex that co-express with BOP1 in signalling pathways. Analysis of BOP1 differential gene expression and interaction pathways reveals that BOP1 plays an important role in regulating p53 signalling and cellcycle networks, and provides a crosstalk with key cellular processes. Examination of cancer and tissue expression profiling points to the upregulation of BOP1 in a variety of cancers. Thus BOP1 can be considered as a potential cancer biomarker and therapeutic target.