| First Author | Chittenden T | Year | 1995 |
| Journal | Nature | Volume | 374 |
| Issue | 6524 | Pages | 733-6 |
| PubMed ID | 7715730 | Mgi Jnum | J:43663 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:1098206 | Doi | 10.1038/374733a0 |
| Citation | Chittenden T, et al. (1995) Induction of apoptosis by the Bcl-2 homologue Bak. Nature 374(6524):733-6 |
| abstractText | Cells are eliminated in a variety of physiological settings by apoptosis, a genetically encoded process of cellular suicide. Apoptosis comprises an intrinsic cellular defence against tumorigenesis, which, when suppressed, may contribute to the development of malignancies. The bcl-2 oncogene, which is activated in follicular lymphomas, functions as a potent suppressor of apoptosis under diverse conditions. Here we describe the complementary DNA cloning and functional analysis of a new Bcl-2 homologue, Bak, which promotes cell death and counteracts the protection from apoptosis provided by Bcl-2. Moreover, enforced expression of Bak induces rapid and extensive apoptosis of serum-deprived fibroblasts. This raises the possibility that Bak is directly involved in activating the cell death machinery. |
