A novel mitochondrial septin-like protein, ARTS, mediates apoptosis dependent on its P-loop motif

  • Nat Cell Biol. 2000 Dec;2(12):915-21. doi: 10.1038/35046566.
S Larisch  1 ,  Y Yi ,  R Lotan ,  H Kerner ,  S Eimerl ,  W Tony Parks ,  Y Gottfried ,  S Birkey Reffey ,  M P de Caestecker ,  D Danielpour ,  N Book-Melamed ,  R Timberg ,  C S Duckett ,  R J Lechleider ,  H Steller ,  J Orly ,  S J Kim ,  A B Roberts
Affiliations
  • 1. Pathology Department, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.
PMID: 11146656 DOI: 10.1038/35046566
Abstract

Here we describe a protein product of the human septin H5/PNUTL2/CDCrel2b gene, which we call ARTS (for apoptosis-related protein in the TGF-beta signalling pathway). ARTS is expressed in many cells and acts to enhance cell death induced by TGF-beta or, to a lesser extent, by Other apoptotic agents. Unlike related septin gene products, ARTS is localized to mitochondria and translocates to the nucleus when Apoptosis occurs. Mutation of the P-loop of ARTS abrogates its competence to activate Caspase 3 and to induce Apoptosis. Taken together, these observations expand the functional attributes of septins previously described as having roles in cytokinesis and cellular morphogenesis.