title: Viral versus cellular BCL-2 proteins.
abstract: All gamma herpesviruses and a few other viruses encode at least one homologue of the mammalian cell death inhibitor BCL-2. Gamma herpesviruses are associated with human and animal lymphoid and epithelial tumours. However, the role of these viral BCL-2 homologues in the virus replication cycle or in human disease is not known, though recent developments show progress in this area. The structure of viral BCL-2 family protein, KSBcl-2, is similar to that of cellular family members, but viral BCL-2 proteins differ functionally from the cellular proteins, apparently escaping the regulatory mechanisms to which their cellular counterparts are subjected. Thus, exploring the biochemical and biological functions of the viral BCL-2 family proteins will increase our understanding of their role in virus infections and will undoubtedly teach us something about their cellular kin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA. hardwick@jhu.edu
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hardwick
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Bellows
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D018142:Gammaherpesvirinae / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D014764:Viral Proteins; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases