Bax inserts into the mitochondrial outer membrane by different mechanisms.
Bax insertion into the mitochondrial outer membrane is essential for the implementation of apoptosis. However, little is known about the first stage of Bax integration into the mitochondrial outer membrane. We have recently shown that TOM22, a mitochondrial outer membrane receptor, is important for insertion, although other reports have suggested that only mitochondrial lipids are involved in this process. Here, we show that monomers, but not dimers, of Bax require the presence of TOM22 and TOM40 to integrate into mitochondria. In addition we show that once inserted into the membrane, Bax can act as a receptor for cytosolic Bax.
Cartron
Pierre-François
PF
Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie Nantes-Angers, F-44035 Nantes, Cedex 01, France.
Bellot
Grégory
G
Oliver
Lisa
L
Grandier-Vazeille
Xavier
X
Manon
Stephen
S
Vallette
François M
FM
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D019281:Dimerization; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D033681:Mitochondrial Membrane Transport Proteins; D051336:Mitochondrial Membranes / Q000378:metabolism*; D000090622:Mitochondrial Precursor Protein Import Complex Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism*
D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D033681:Mitochondrial Membrane Transport Proteins; D000090622:Mitochondrial Precursor Protein Import Complex Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; C530938:TOMM22 protein, rat; C000707766:Tomm40 protein, rat; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein