Viral versus cellular BCL-2 proteins |
| |
Authors: | Hardwick J M Bellows D S |
| |
Affiliation: | Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA. hardwick@jhu.edu |
| |
Abstract: | All gamma herpesviruses and a few other viruses encode at least one homologue of the mammalian cell death inhibitor BCL-2. Gamma herpesviruses are associated with human and animal lymphoid and epithelial tumours. However, the role of these viral BCL-2 homologues in the virus replication cycle or in human disease is not known, though recent developments show progress in this area. The structure of viral BCL-2 family protein, KSBcl-2, is similar to that of cellular family members, but viral BCL-2 proteins differ functionally from the cellular proteins, apparently escaping the regulatory mechanisms to which their cellular counterparts are subjected. Thus, exploring the biochemical and biological functions of the viral BCL-2 family proteins will increase our understanding of their role in virus infections and will undoubtedly teach us something about their cellular kin. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 PubMed 等数据库收录! |
|