title: Solution structure of the BHRF1 protein from Epstein-Barr virus, a homolog of human Bcl-2.
abstract: The three-dimensional structure of BHRF1, the Bcl-2 homolog from Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), has been determined by NMR spectroscopy. Although the overall structure is similar to other Bcl-2 family members, there are important structural differences. Unlike some of the other Bcl-2 family members, BHRF1 does not contain the prominent hydrophobic groove that mediates binding to pro-apoptotic family members. In addition, in contrast to the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins, BHRF1 does not bind tightly to peptides derived from the pro-apoptotic proteins Bak, Bax, Bik, and Bad. The lack of an exposed, pre-formed binding groove in BHRF1 and the lack of significant binding to peptides derived from pro-apoptotic family members that bind to other anti-apoptotic family members, suggest that the mechanism of the BHRF1 anti-apoptotic activity does not parallel that of cellular Bcl-x(L) or Bcl-2.
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017209:Apoptosis; D001665:Binding Sites; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000378:metabolism*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry; D011485:Protein Binding; D011487:Protein Conformation; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000737:chemistry*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: C083278:BHRF1 protein, Human herpesvirus 4; D010455:Peptides; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D014764:Viral Proteins