PROTEIN INTERACTIONS IN APOPTOSIS

细胞程序性死亡（PCD）和凋亡是细胞死亡的重要过程 自我更新的组织。 当这个正常的监管体系 破坏，结果可能导致几种疾病，包括 癌 因此，凋亡途径提供了一个有趣的途径， 干预疾病的发病机制。 的Bcl-2家族 蛋白质是重要的调节分子， 抑制细胞死亡途径通过一个复杂的模式， 蛋白质相互作用 我们已经结晶了一种蛋白质BAG-1 与Bcl-2结合，并增强抗凋亡活性， Bcl-2蛋白 目标是了解蛋白质的分子基础 并产生原子模型来揭示 相互作用的表面和/或构象变化， 引发凋亡反应的分子。

Programmed cell death (PCD) and apoptosis are important processes of self-renewing tissues. When this normal regulatory system is disrupted, the results can contribute to several diseases including cancer. Therefore the apoptotic pathway offers an intriguing avenue to intervene in the pathogenesis of the disease. The Bcl-2 family of proteins are critical regulatory molecules that either promote or repress the cell death pathway through a complex pattern of protein-protein interactions. We have crystallized a protein BAG-1 that binds to Bcl-2, and enhances the anti-apoptotic activity of Bcl-2. The goal is to understand the molecular basis for the protein associations in apoptosis and to generate atomic models to reveal interacting surfaces and/or conformational changes that may serve as molecular triggers in the apoptotic response.