Characterization of a novel proapoptotic protein ,map—1 ,that associates with bax gthrough its multiple bcl—2 homology domains

MembersofBcl-2familyofproteinsareregulatorsofcelldeaththatcanbegroupedintosubfamiliesofprosurvivalandproapoptoticmolecules.Theyarecharacterizedbythepresenceofseveralconservedmotifs,knownastheBcl-2homology(BH)domains,designatedBH1,BH2,BH3andBH4.MutagenesisandstructuralstudiesrevealedthattheBHdomainsareimportantfunctionaldomainsthatarealsorequiredfordimerizationfunction.Recently,asubfamilyofproapoptoticmoleculesonlycontainsBH3motifhasbeenidentifiedsuggestingBH3domainalonemaybesufficientformediatingproapoptoticfunctionamong