Related Experiment Videos
The apoptosis endonuclease and its regulation
A H Wyllie1, M J Arends, R G Morris
1Department of Pathology, University Medical School, Edinburgh, UK.
Seminars in Immunology
|December 1, 1992
Summary
An endogenous endonuclease activates during apoptosis, a programmed cell death process. Understanding this enzyme may reveal apoptosis susceptibility and regulatory mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, involves structural changes and the activation of an endogenous endonuclease.
- This endonuclease is constitutively present in some cells, like rodent cortical thymocytes, and inducible in others.
- The enzyme's role in apoptosis suggests it could be a marker for apoptosis susceptibility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To purify the endogenous endonuclease involved in apoptosis.
- To understand the regulation of apoptosis by characterizing this enzyme.
- To explore its potential as a marker for apoptosis susceptibility.
Main Methods:
- Characterization of the thymocyte endonuclease's biochemical properties.
- Investigating the regulation of endonuclease activity by cellular proto-oncogenes and oncosuppressor genes.
- Purification of the enzyme for further study.
Main Results:
- The thymocyte endonuclease is an anionic protein >110 kDa with a pH optimum of 7.5.
- The enzyme exhibits a preference for double-strand DNA cleavage.
- Endonuclease activity and apoptosis induction are regulated by genes like c-myc, Ha-ras, bcl-2, and p53.
Conclusions:
- The endogenous endonuclease is a key player in apoptosis.
- Purification and characterization of this enzyme are crucial for understanding apoptosis regulation.
- The enzyme's activity is linked to known apoptosis-regulating genes.