Publication details
Heavy metals induce phosphorylation of the Bcl-2 protein by Jun N-terminal kinase
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2009 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Biological Chemistry |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Genetics and molecular biology |
| Keywords | Bcl-2; heavy metals; Jun N-terminal kinase; phosphorylation; posttranslational modification |
| Description | The Bcl-2 protein is one of the key components of biochemical pathways controling programmed cell death. Function of this protein can be regulated by posttranslational modifications. Phosphorylation of Bcl-2 has been considered to be significantly associated with cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle, and with cell death caused by defects of microtubule dynamics. This study shows that phosphorylation of Bcl-2 can be induced by heavy metals due to activation of the Jun N-terminal kinase pathway that is not linked to the G2/M cell cycle arrest. Furthermore, we show that hyperphosphorylated Bcl-2 protein is a more potent inhibitor of zinc-induced cell death than its hypophosphorylated mutant form. These data suggest that regulation of the Bcl-2 protein function by phosphorylation is an important part of cell response to stress. |
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