SV40 Large T antigen

SV40 Large T antigen is a protein produced by the Simian Virus 40 (SV40), a virus that infects monkeys. This protein plays a key role in helping the virus replicate by interfering with the host cell's normal control mechanisms, especially those that regulate cell growth and division. By doing so, it can cause the infected cells to divide uncontrollably, which is why it’s studied in cancer research. Scientists also use the Large T antigen as a tool to understand cell cycle regulation and to develop cancer models in the laboratory.