title: Assembly of the mitochondrial apoptosis-induced channel, MAC.
abstract: Although Bcl-2 family proteins control intrinsic apoptosis, the mechanisms underlying this regulation are incompletely understood. Patch clamp studies of mitochondria isolated from cells deficient in one or both of the pro-apoptotic proteins Bax and Bak show that at least one of the proteins must be present for formation of the cytochrome c-translocating channel, mitochondrial apoptosis-induced channel (MAC), and that the single channel behaviors of MACs containing exclusively Bax or Bak are similar. Truncated Bid catalyzes MAC formation in isolated mitochondria containing Bax and/or Bak with a time course of minutes and does not require VDAC1 or VDAC3. Mathematical analysis of the stepwise changes in conductance associated with MAC formation is consistent with pore assembly by a barrel-stave model. Assuming the staves are two transmembrane alpha-helices in Bax and Bak, mature MAC pores would typically contain approximately 9 monomers and have diameters of 5.5-6 nm. The mitochondrial permeability data are inconsistent with formation of lipidic pores capable of transporting megadalton-sized macromolecules as observed with recombinant Bax in liposomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Sciences, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, New York 10010, USA.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Martinez-Caballero
authors.forename: Laurent M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Dejean
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kinnally
authors.forename: Kyoung Joon
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Carmen A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Mannella
authors.forename: Kathleen W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Kinnally
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D051023:BH3 Interacting Domain Death Agonist Protein / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008081:Liposomes / Q000737:chemistry; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D033681:Mitochondrial Membrane Transport Proteins; D051336:Mitochondrial Membranes / Q000378:metabolism*; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D010539:Permeability; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D050995:Voltage-Dependent Anion Channel 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D050994:Voltage-Dependent Anion Channels / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D050998:bcl-2 Homologous Antagonist-Killer Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D051023:BH3 Interacting Domain Death Agonist Protein; C494773:Bak1 protein, mouse; C494827:Bax protein, mouse; C494815:Bid protein, mouse; D008081:Liposomes; D033681:Mitochondrial Membrane Transport Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C494763:Vdac1 protein, mouse; C480078:Vdac3 protein, mouse; D050994:Voltage-Dependent Anion Channels; D050998:bcl-2 Homologous Antagonist-Killer Protein; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D045304:Cytochromes c; D050995:Voltage-Dependent Anion Channel 1