Abstract
Regulated apoptosis is part of the development of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. In a recent paper in Nature, Yan et al. (2005) describe the in vitro reconstitution of the core components of the worm apoptotic pathway. Based on a structural analysis of the complex between the death activator CED-4 and the antiapoptotic protein CED-9, the authors explain the regulation of activity of CED-4. Intriguingly, CED-4 comprises a AAA+ type ATPase domain yet does not seem to need ATP hydrolysis for activity.
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Apoptosis / genetics*
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Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / genetics
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Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / metabolism
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Apoptotic Protease-Activating Factor 1
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Caenorhabditis elegans / cytology
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Caenorhabditis elegans / physiology*
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / chemistry
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / genetics
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / metabolism
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Calcium-Binding Proteins / chemistry
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Calcium-Binding Proteins / genetics
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Calcium-Binding Proteins / metabolism
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Caspases / genetics
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Caspases / metabolism
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Humans
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Models, Biological
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Mutation
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Protein Structure, Tertiary
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Proteins / chemistry
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Proteins / metabolism
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins / genetics
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins / metabolism
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
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Repressor Proteins / genetics
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Repressor Proteins / metabolism
Substances
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APAF1 protein, human
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Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
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Apoptotic Protease-Activating Factor 1
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
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Calcium-Binding Proteins
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Ced-4 protein, C elegans
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Ced-9 protein, C elegans
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EGL-1 protein, C elegans
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Proteins
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
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Repressor Proteins
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Caspases
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ced-3 protein, C elegans