title: Molecular control of life and death.
abstract: Recent evidence has shown that two of the three key genes in the programmed cell death pathway of Caenorhabditis elegans, ced-9 (a cell death suppressor) and ced-3 (a cell death inducer), encode proteins that share structural and functional similarities with the mammalian proto-oncogene product Bcl-2 and interleukin-1 beta converting enzyme, respectively. These findings reveal key molecules that control life and death decisions in vertebrates.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown 02129, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yuan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics*; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics*; D020170:Caspase 1; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000235:genetics; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000096:biosynthesis; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017238:Genes, Helminth; D006801:Humans; D005810:Multigene Family; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas
chemical_list: C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D010450:Endopeptidases; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; D020170:Caspase 1