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Encyclopedia of Cancer pp 1–6Cite as

APAF-1 Signaling

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Synonyms

Apoptotic peptidase activating factor-1; C.elegans cell death 4 homolog; Cytoplasmic scaffolding apoptotic protease activating factor; KIAA0413

Definition

APAF-1 was identified in 1997 as a homolog of C. elegans cell death 4 (CED-4) gene. APAF-1 is a cytoplasmatic protein of 1194 aminoacids able to bind cytochrome-c and contributing to caspase-9 activation. APAF-1 protein exists in cells in an inactive monomeric form. Signals that activate the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis (such as developmental cues, genomic stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, cytotoxic damage, hypoxia, growth factor deprivation, and cell detachment) lead to mitochondria outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP). As a result of MOMP, cytochrome-c, a component of the mitochondrial respiratory chain, present in the intermembrane space, is released from mitochondria into the cytosol, where it binds to APAF-1. Upon binding of cytochrome-c, in the presence of dATP/ATP, APAF-1 undergoes a conformational change....

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References

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See Also

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, Milan, Italy

    Andrea Anichini

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  1. Andrea Anichini
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Correspondence to Andrea Anichini .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Abt. Tumorgenetik, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, Heidelberg, Germany

    Manfred Schwab

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Anichini, A. (2014). APAF-1 Signaling. In: Schwab, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Cancer. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27841-9_345-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27841-9_345-2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27841-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Biomedicine and Life SciencesReference Module Biomedical and Life Sciences

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