title: Death upon a kiss: mitochondrial outer membrane composition and organelle communication govern sensitivity to BAK/BAX-dependent apoptosis.
abstract: For stressed cells to induce the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis, a cohort of pro-apoptotic BCL-2 proteins must collaborate with the outer mitochondrial membrane to permeabilize it. BAK and BAX are the two pro-apoptotic BCL-2 family members that are required for mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization. While biochemical and structural insights of BAK/BAX function have expanded in recent years, very little is known about the role of the outer mitochondrial membrane in regulating BAK/BAX activity. In this review, we will highlight the impact of mitochondrial composition (both protein and lipid) and mitochondrial interactions with cellular organelles on BAK/BAX function and cellular commitment to apoptosis. A better understanding of how BAK/BAX and mitochondrial biology are mechanistically linked will likely reveal novel insights into homeostatic and pathological mechanisms associated with apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1130, New York, NY 10029, USA; Department of Dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1130, New York, NY 10029, USA; The Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1130, New York, NY 10029, USA; The Metabolism Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1130, New York, NY 10029, USA.
authors.forename: Thibaud T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Renault
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1130, New York, NY 10029, USA; Department of Dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1130, New York, NY 10029, USA; The Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1130, New York, NY 10029, USA; The Metabolism Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1130, New York, NY 10029, USA; The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1130, New York, NY 10029, USA. Electronic address: jerry.chipuk@mssm.edu.
authors.forename: Jerry E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Chipuk
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D006801:Humans; D051336:Mitochondrial Membranes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015388:Organelles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D050998:bcl-2 Homologous Antagonist-Killer Protein / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D050998:bcl-2 Homologous Antagonist-Killer Protein; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein