title: Structural basis of IAP recognition by Smac/DIABLO.
abstract: Apoptosis is an essential process in the development and homeostasis of all metazoans. The inhibitor-of-apoptosis (IAP) proteins suppress cell death by inhibiting the activity of caspases; this inhibition is performed by the zinc-binding BIR domains of the IAP proteins. The mitochondrial protein Smac/DIABLO promotes apoptosis by eliminating the inhibitory effect of IAPs through physical interactions. Amino-terminal sequences in Smac/DIABLO are required for this function, as mutation of the very first amino acid leads to loss of interaction with IAPs and concomitant loss of Smac/DIABLO function. Here we report the high-resolution crystal structure of Smac/DIABLO complexed with the third BIR domain (BIR3) of XIAP. Our results show that the N-terminal four residues (Ala-Val-Pro-Ile) in Smac/DIABLO recognize a surface groove on BIR3, with the first residue Ala binding a hydrophobic pocket and making five hydrogen bonds to neighbouring residues on BIR3. These observations provide a structural explanation for the roles of the Smac N terminus as well as the conserved N-terminal sequences in the Drosophila proteins Hid/Grim/Reaper. In conjunction with other observations, our results reveal how Smac may relieve IAP inhibition of caspase-9 activity. In addition to explaining a number of biological observations, our structural analysis identifies potential targets for drug screening.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, New Jersey 08544, USA.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Suber
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D001665:Binding Sites; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053453:Caspase 9; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004330:Drosophila; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004926:Escherichia coli; D006860:Hydrogen Bonding; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D008958:Models, Molecular; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D011487:Protein Conformation; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D051636:X-Linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; C412403:DIABLO protein, human; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D019476:Insect Proteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D010455:Peptides; D011506:Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D051636:X-Linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein; C108881:grim protein, Drosophila; C086973:rpr protein, Drosophila; C506433:CASP9 protein, human; D053453:Caspase 9