Oxidized or Reduced Cytochrome c and Axial Ligand Variants All Form the Apoptosome in Vitro.

ABSTRACT: Cytochrome c (cyt c) has two important roles in vertebrates: mitochondrial electron transport and activating the intrinsic cell death pathway (apoptosis). To initiate cell death, cyt c dissociates from the inner mitochondrial membrane and migrates to the cytosol. In the cytosol, cyt c interacts stoichiometrically with apoptotic protease activating factor 1 (Apaf-1) and upon ATP binding induces formation of the heptameric apoptosome. It is not clear however what the redox state of cyt c is when it functions as the "active signal" for apoptosis. Some reports have indicated that only ferri (i.e., oxidized Fe³⁺ heme) but not ferro (reduced, Fe²⁺ heme) cyt c forms the apoptosome. Facilitated by our recently described recombinant system for synthesizing novel human cyt c pr

SUBMITTER: Mendez DL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5551479 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature