Identification of an activation site in Bak and mitochondrial Bax triggered by antibodies

Sweta Iyer; Khatira Anwari; Amber E. Alsop; Wai Shan Yuen; David C. S. Huang; John Carroll; Nicholas A. Smith; Brian J. Smith; Grant Dewson; Ruth M. Kluck

doi:10.1038/ncomms11734

Nature Communications (May 2016)

Identification of an activation site in Bak and mitochondrial Bax triggered by antibodies

Sweta Iyer,
Khatira Anwari,
Amber E. Alsop,
Wai Shan Yuen,
David C. S. Huang,
John Carroll,
Nicholas A. Smith,
Brian J. Smith,
Grant Dewson,
Ruth M. Kluck

Affiliations

Sweta Iyer: Molecular Genetics of Cancer Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
Khatira Anwari: Molecular Genetics of Cancer Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
Amber E. Alsop: Molecular Genetics of Cancer Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
Wai Shan Yuen: Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash University, Melbourne
David C. S. Huang: Cancer and Haematology Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
John Carroll: Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash University, Melbourne
Nicholas A. Smith: Department of Chemistry and Physics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Sciences, La Trobe University
Brian J. Smith: Department of Chemistry and Physics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Sciences, La Trobe University
Grant Dewson: Cell Signalling and Cell Death Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
Ruth M. Kluck: Molecular Genetics of Cancer Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms11734
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 7, no. 1
pp. 1 – 10

Abstract

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During apoptosis, Bak and Bax are activated by BH3-only proteins binding to a specific hydrophobic groove. Here, the authors show that antibodies can also activate Bak and mitochondrial Bax by binding to the α1-α2 loop, thus identifying a potential clinical target.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

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