Download MendeleyNovel dimerization mode of the human Bcl-2 family protein Bak, a mitochondrial apoptosis regulator.
Wang, H., Takemoto, C., Akasaka, R., Uchikubo-Kamo, T., Kishishita, S., Murayama, K., Terada, T., Chen, L., Liu, Z.J., Wang, B.C., Sugano, S., Tanaka, A., Inoue, M., Kigawa, T., Shirouzu, M., Yokoyama, S.(2009) J Struct Biol 166: 32-37
- PubMed: 19135534
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsb.2008.12.003
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:
2YV6 - PubMed Abstract:
Interactions of Bcl-2 family proteins play a regulatory role in mitochondrial apoptosis. The pro-apoptotic protein Bak resides in the outer mitochondrial membrane, and the formation of Bak homo- or heterodimers is involved in the regulation of apoptosis. The previously reported structure of the human Bak protein (residues Glu16-Gly186) revealed that a zinc ion was coordinated with two pairs of Asp160 and His164 residues from the symmetry-related molecules. This zinc-dependent homodimer was regarded as an anti-apoptotic dimer. In the present study, we determined the crystal structure of the human Bak residues Ser23-Asn185 at 2.5A, and found a distinct type of homodimerization through Cys166 disulfide bridging between the symmetry-related molecules. In the two modes of homodimerization, the molecular interfaces are completely different. In the membrane-targeted model of the S-S bridged dimer, the BH3 motifs are too close to the membrane to interact directly with the anti-apoptotic relatives, such as Bcl-x(L). Therefore, the Bak dimer structure reported here may represent a pro-apoptotic mode under oxidized conditions.
Organizational Affiliation:
Systems and Structural Biology Center, Yokohama Institute, RIKEN, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan.
