| Product description |
Rabbit polyclonal to APAF1Large multi-protein complexes known as the DISC (death inducing signaling complex) and the apoptosome activate the normally inactive caspases through proteolytic processing (1). The formation of these complexes leads to the activation of caspases and the execution of apoptosis (1,2). The apoptosome is a large 700 or 1400 kDa protein complex comprised of Apaf 1 (apoptotic protease activating factor-1), cytochrome c, and dATP (1). Apaf 1 and cytochrome c in the presence of dATP leads to the oligomerization of Apaf 1 and the formation of either the 700 or 1400 kDa complexes (3&4). Once formed the apoptosome activates caspase-9, which in turn activates the effector caspases (1&5). Some researchers have found the 700 kDa apoptosome to be the most effective activator of the effector caspases, when compared to the 1400 kDa apoptosome (3&4). Apaf 1 has also been shown to be a target of regulation by a variety of proteins that include p53, IAPs, heat shock proteins and Smac/Diablo (1&6). |
