Letter abstract
Nature Cell Biology 7, 70 - 77 (2004)
Published online: 5 December 2004 | doi:10.1038/ncb1204
IAPs are functionally non-equivalent and regulate effector caspases through distinct mechanisms
Tencho Tenev1, Anna Zachariou1, Rebecca Wilson1, Mark Ditzel1 & Pascal Meier1
Some members of the inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) family suppress apoptosis by neutralizing caspases. The current model suggests that all caspase-regulatory IAPs function as direct enzyme inhibitors, blocking effector caspases by binding to their catalytically active pockets. Here we show that IAPs are functionally non-equivalent and regulate effector caspases through distinct mechanisms. Whereas XIAP binds directly to the active-site pockets of effector caspases, we find that regulation of effector caspases by Drosophila IAP1 (DIAP1) requires an evolutionarily conserved IAP-binding motif (IBM) at the neo-amino terminus of the large caspase subunit. Remarkably, unlike XIAP, DIAP1-sequestered effector caspases remain catalytically active, suggesting that DIAP1 does not function as a bona fide enzyme inhibitor. Moreover, we demonstrate that the mammalian IAP c-IAP1 interacts with caspase-7 in an exclusively IBM-dependent, but active site pocket-independent, manner that is mechanistically similar to DIAP1. The importance of IBM-mediated regulation of effector-caspases in vivo is substantiated by the enhanced apoptotic potency of IBM-mutant versions of drICE, DCP-1 and caspase-7.
- The Breakthrough Toby Robins Breast Cancer Research Centre, Institute of Cancer Research, Mary-Jean Mitchell Green Building, Chester Beatty Laboratories, Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, UK.
Correspondence to: Pascal Meier1 e-mail: pmeier@icr.ac.uk
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