Xiaowei Yan

Nov 6, 2024 | nature.com | L. T. Hung |Britney Jiayu He |Jens Luebeck |Lotte Brückner |Xiaowei Yan |Rocio Gonzalez | +8 more

AbstractThe chromosomal theory of inheritance dictates that genes on the same chromosome segregate together while genes on different chromosomes assort independently1. Extrachromosomal DNAs (ecDNAs) are common in cancer and drive oncogene amplification, dysregulated gene expression and intratumoural heterogeneity through random segregation during cell division2,3. Distinct ecDNA sequences, termed ecDNA species, can co-exist to facilitate intermolecular cooperation in cancer cells4.

Feb 26, 2024 | nature.com | Xiaowei Yan |Paul S. Mischel |Howard Chang

AbstractExtrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) has recently been recognized as a major contributor to cancer pathogenesis that is identified in most cancer types and is associated with poor outcomes. When it was discovered over 60 years ago, ecDNA was considered to be rare, and its impact on tumour biology was not well understood. The application of modern imaging and computational techniques has yielded powerful new insights into the importance of ecDNA in cancer.