Characterization of a 54K Dalton cellular SV40 tumor antigen present in SV40 transformed cells and uninfected embryonal carcinoma cells.

Levine discovered the tumor suppressor protein p53, also known as Tumor protein P53. Because it prevents cancer formation TP 53 is classified as a tumor suppressor gene. The discovery was completed in 1989 and recorded in the following paper: Cathy A. Finlay, Philip W. Hinds, and Arnold J. Levine, "The p53 proto-onogene can act as a suppressor of transformation," Cell, 57 (1989), 1083-1093.