| Structural highlights
Function
BAK_HUMAN In the presence of an appropriate stimulus, accelerates programmed cell death by binding to, and antagonizing the anti-apoptotic action of BCL2 or its adenovirus homolog E1B 19k protein. Low micromolar levels of zinc ions inhibit the promotion of apoptosis.[1] [2]
Publication Abstract from PubMed
Apoptotic stimuli activate and oligomerize the proapoptotic proteins Bak and Bax, resulting in mitochondrial outer-membrane permeabilization and subsequent cell death. This activation can occur when certain BH3-only proteins interact directly with Bak and Bax. Recently published crystal structures reveal that Bax separates into core and latch domains in response to BH3 peptides. The distinguishing characteristics of BH3 peptides capable of directly activating Bax were also elucidated. Here we identify specific BH3 peptides capable of "unlatching" Bak and describe structural insights into Bak activation and oligomerization. Crystal structures and crosslinking experiments demonstrate that Bak undergoes a conformational change similar to that of Bax upon activation. A structure of the Bak core domain dimer provides a high-resolution image of this key intermediate in the pore-forming oligomer. Our results confirm an analogous mechanism for activation and dimerization of Bak and Bax in response to certain BH3 peptides.
Bak Core and Latch Domains Separate during Activation, and Freed Core Domains Form Symmetric Homodimers.,Brouwer JM, Westphal D, Dewson G, Robin AY, Uren RT, Bartolo R, Thompson GV, Colman PM, Kluck RM, Czabotar PE Mol Cell. 2014 Aug 27. pii: S1097-2765(14)00609-1. doi:, 10.1016/j.molcel.2014.07.016. PMID:25175025[3]
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
See Also
References
- ↑ Chittenden T, Flemington C, Houghton AB, Ebb RG, Gallo GJ, Elangovan B, Chinnadurai G, Lutz RJ. A conserved domain in Bak, distinct from BH1 and BH2, mediates cell death and protein binding functions. EMBO J. 1995 Nov 15;14(22):5589-96. PMID:8521816
- ↑ Moldoveanu T, Liu Q, Tocilj A, Watson M, Shore G, Gehring K. The X-ray structure of a BAK homodimer reveals an inhibitory zinc binding site. Mol Cell. 2006 Dec 8;24(5):677-88. PMID:17157251 doi:10.1016/j.molcel.2006.10.014
- ↑ Brouwer JM, Westphal D, Dewson G, Robin AY, Uren RT, Bartolo R, Thompson GV, Colman PM, Kluck RM, Czabotar PE. Bak Core and Latch Domains Separate during Activation, and Freed Core Domains Form Symmetric Homodimers. Mol Cell. 2014 Aug 27. pii: S1097-2765(14)00609-1. doi:, 10.1016/j.molcel.2014.07.016. PMID:25175025 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2014.07.016
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