title: Structure of the Bcr-Abl oncoprotein oligomerization domain.
abstract: The Bcr-Abl oncoprotein is responsible for a wide range of human leukemias, including most cases of Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia. Oligomerization of Bcr-Abl is essential for oncogenicity. We determined the crystal structure of the N-terminal oligomerization domain of Bcr-Abl (residues 1-72 or Bcr1-72) and found a novel mode of oligomer formation. Two N-shaped monomers dimerize by swapping N-terminal helices and by forming an antiparallel coiled coil between C-terminal helices. Two dimers then stack onto each other to form a tetramer. The Bcr1-72 structure provides a basis for the design of inhibitors of Bcr-Abl transforming activity by disrupting Bcr-Abl oligomerization.
authors.affiliation: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Nine Cambridge Center, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142-1401, USA.
authors.forename: Xun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Saghi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghaffari
authors.forename: Harvey
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lodish
authors.forename: Vladimir N
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Malashkevich
authors.forename: Peter S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D003460:Crystallization; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D019281:Dimerization; D015195:Drug Design; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D020836:Protein Structure, Quaternary; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl