title: Induction of apoptosis by the Bcl-2 homologue Bak.
abstract: Cells are eliminated in a variety of physiological settings by apoptosis, a genetically encoded process of cellular suicide. Apoptosis comprises an intrinsic cellular defence against tumorigenesis, which, when suppressed, may contribute to the development of malignancies. The bcl-2 oncogene, which is activated in follicular lymphomas, functions as a potent suppressor of apoptosis under diverse conditions. Here we describe the complementary DNA cloning and functional analysis of a new Bcl-2 homologue, Bak, which promotes cell death and counteracts the protection from apoptosis provided by Bcl-2. Moreover, enforced expression of Bak induces rapid and extensive apoptosis of serum-deprived fibroblasts. This raises the possibility that Bak is directly involved in activating the cell death machinery.
authors.affiliation: Apoptosis Technology Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chittenden
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Harrington
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Flemington
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Lutz
authors.forename: G I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Evan
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Guild
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051381:Rats; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D050998:bcl-2 Homologous Antagonist-Killer Protein
chemical_list: C494772:BAK1 protein, human; C494773:Bak1 protein, mouse; C494774:Bak1 protein, rat; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D050998:bcl-2 Homologous Antagonist-Killer Protein