PP2A: the expected tumor suppressor

PP2A is one of the few serine/threonine-specific phosphatases in the cell, and its complex structure and regulation guarantees its many different functions. Some viruses have chosen to target this enzyme system in order to manage the host cell machinery for their own profit and to program cells into a malignant state. Suppression of PR61/B'gamma, a specific third regulatory subunit of PP2A, can substitute for the viral SV40 protein small t antigen in causing tumorigenic transformation of several human cell lines -- provided that telomerase, SV40 large T antigen and oncogenic Ras are also present. Accumulation of c-Myc seems to be the common denominator.