JNK promotes Bax translocation to mitochondria through phosphorylation of 14-3-3 proteins.
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Tsuruta F, Sunayama J, Mori Y, Hattori S, Shimizu S, Tsujimoto Y, Yoshioka K, Masuyama N, Gotoh Y
JNK promotes Bax translocation to mitochondria through phosphorylation of 14-3-3 proteins.
EMBO J. 2004 Apr 21;23(8):1889-99. Epub 2004 Apr 8.
- PubMed ID
- 15071501 [ View in PubMed]
- Abstract
Targeted gene disruption studies have established that the c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) is required for the stress-induced release of mitochondrial cytochrome c and apoptosis, and that the Bax subfamily of Bcl-2-related proteins is essential for JNK-dependent apoptosis. However, the mechanism by which JNK regulates Bax has remained unsolved. Here we demonstrate that activated JNK promotes Bax translocation to mitochondria through phosphorylation of 14-3-3, a cytoplasmic anchor of Bax. Phosphorylation of 14-3-3 led to dissociation of Bax from this protein. Expression of phosphorylation-defective mutants of 14-3-3 blocked JNK-induced Bax translocation to mitochondria, cytochrome c release and apoptosis. Collectively, these results have revealed a key mechanism of Bax regulation in stress-induced apoptosis.