Abstract 1266 Probing BCL2 protein interactions using re-engineered scorpion toxins

Protein-protein interactions between members of the B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2) protein family, in part, decide the fate of a cell. For instance, anti-apoptotic BCL2 proteins (AAPs) such as Bcl-2 (proper) and Bcl-XL keep the cell alive by inhibiting the activity of proapoptotic BCL2 proteins (PAPs) such as Bax and Bak. During a typical AAP:PAP interaction, the helical BCL2 homology-3 (BH3) domain of the PAP binds to the shallow hydrophobic binding site on the AAP and facilitates cell survival. Stress signals, such as DNA damage or nutrient deprivation, cause the production of BH3-only proteins, such as Bad or Bim.