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neous rather than sequential release of the mitochondrial membrane proteins helps to explain the timing of the movement of these apoptosis proteins following MOMP. The findings also suggest that release of these proteins is not controlled by multiple levels of regulators, but rather occurs as a single event."

The study also highlights the importance of the Bcl-2 family in regulating the formation of pores in the mitochondrial membrane and emphasizes how critical the formation of these pores is to the regulation of apoptosis, Green said.

The team found that after cells were treated with a chemical that triggers apoptosis, it took three to 10 minutes for several proteins, cytochrome c, Smac, Omi and adenylate kinase-2 to escape together immediately following MOMP.

However, the AIF protein escaped from the mitochondrial membrane much more slowly and incompletely, starting with the release of cytochrome c but continuing during the next few hours. The St. Jude researchers concluded that while AIF is known to regulate other cellular processes, the protein itself is not involved in triggering apoptosis. The researchers made the movement of the proteins visible by attaching fluorescent tags to make them glow when observed under a special microscope equipped with a laser that scanned the cells.

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Contact: Bonnie Kourvelas
bonnie.kourvelas@stjude.org
901-495-4815
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
1-Aug-2006

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