Insights into the structure and protein-protein interactions of the pro-apoptotic protein ASPP2

Biochem Soc Trans. 2007 Nov;35(Pt 5):966-9. doi: 10.1042/BST0350966.

Abstract

ASPP (apoptosis-stimulating protein of p53) 2 is a pro-apoptotic protein that stimulates the p53-mediated apoptotic response. Here, we provide an overview of the structure and protein-protein interactions of ASPP2. The C-terminus of ASPP2 contains Ank (ankyrin) repeats and an SH3 domain (Src homology 3 domain). The Ank-SH3 domains mediate interactions between ASPP2 and numerous proteins involved in apoptosis such as p53 and Bcl-2. The proline-rich domain of ASPP2 is unfolded in its native state, but was not shown to mediate intermolecular interactions. Instead, it makes an intramolecular domain-domain interaction with the Ank-SH3 C-terminal domains of ASPP2. This intramolecular interaction between the unstructured proline-rich domain and the structured Ank-SH3 domains in ASPP2, which is possible due to the unfolded nature of the proline-rich domain, is proposed to have an important role in regulating the intermolecular interactions of ASPP2 with its partner proteins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • Carrier Proteins / chemistry
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Protein Conformation*

Substances

  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • Carrier Proteins
  • TP53BP2 protein, human