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  • Title: Apoptotic proteins Reaper and Grim induce stable inactivation in voltage-gated K+ channels.
    Author: Avdonin V, Kasuya J, Ciorba MA, Kaplan B, Hoshi T, Iverson L.
    Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A; 1998 Sep 29; 95(20):11703-8. PubMed ID: 9751729.
    Abstract:
    Drosophila genes reaper, grim, and head-involution-defective (hid) induce apoptosis in several cellular contexts. N-terminal sequences of these proteins are highly conserved and are similar to N-terminal inactivation domains of voltage-gated potassium (K+) channels. Synthetic Reaper and Grim N terminus peptides induced fast inactivation of Shaker-type K+ channels when applied to the cytoplasmic side of the channel that was qualitatively similar to the inactivation produced by other K+ channel inactivation particles. Mutations that reduce the apoptotic activity of Reaper also reduced the synthetic peptide's ability to induce channel inactivation, indicating that K+ channel inactivation correlated with apoptotic activity. Coexpression of Reaper RNA or direct injection of full length Reaper protein caused near irreversible block of the K+ channels. These results suggest that Reaper and Grim may participate in initiating apoptosis by stably blocking K+ channels.
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