BNIPL-2, a novel homologue of BNIP-2, interacts with Bcl-2 and Cdc42GAP in apoptosis.
The execution phase of apoptosis is characterized by marked changes in cell morphology that include contraction and membrane blebbing. Little is known about the mechanisms underlying this process. We report here the identification of a novel member of BNIPL family, designated Bcl-2/adenovirus E1B 19kDa interacting protein 2 like-2 (BNIPL-2), which interacts with Bcl-2 and Cdc42GAP. We found that the human BNIPL-2 shares homology to human BNIP-2 and also possesses a BNIP-2 and Cdc42GAP homology (BCH) domain. Deletion experiments indicated that the BCH domain of BNIPL-2 is critical for its interactions with the Bcl-2 and Cdc42GAP and also for its cell death-inducing function. Our data showed that BNIPL-2 may be a linker protein located at the front end of Bcl-2 pathway for DNA fragmentation and Cdc42 signaling for morphological changes during apoptosis. We propose that BNIPL-2 protein may play an important role in regulation of both pathways for DNA fragmentation and for formation of membrane blebs in apoptotic cells.
Qin
Wenxin
W
National Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University Medical School, Shanghai 200032, PR China.
Hu
Jian
J
Guo
Minglei
M
Xu
Jian
J
Li
Jinjun
J
Yao
Genfu
G
Zhou
Xiaomei
X
Jiang
Huiqiu
H
Zhang
Pingping
P
Shen
Li
L
Wan
Dafang
D
Gu
Jianren
J
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011485:Protein Binding; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D020764:cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism*
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; C499184:BNIP2 protein, human; C450834:BNIPL protein, human; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D020764:cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein