Beyond a platform protein for the degradosome assembly: The Apoptosis-Inducing Factor as an efficient nuclease involved in chromatinolysis.

ABSTRACT: The Apoptosis-Inducing Factor (AIF) is a moonlighting flavoenzyme involved in the assembly of mitochondrial respiratory complexes in healthy cells, but also able to trigger DNA cleavage and parthanatos. Upon apoptotic-stimuli, AIF redistributes from the mitochondria to the nucleus, where upon association with other proteins such as endonuclease CypA and histone H2AX, it is proposed to organize a DNA-degradosome complex. In this work, we provide evidence for the molecular assembly of this complex as well as for the cooperative effects among its protein components to degrade genomic DNA into large fragments. We have also uncovered that AIF has nuclease activity that is stimulated in the presence of either Mg²⁺ or Ca²⁺. Such activity allows AIF by itself and in cooperati

SUBMITTER: Novo N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9944232 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature