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A Common Cytochrome c ‐centred Signalosome for Programmed Cell Death in Humans and Plants
Author(s) -
De la Rosa Miguel,
GonzalezArzola Katiuska,
MartinezFabregas Jonathan,
DiazQuintana Antonio,
DiazMoreno Irene
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.29.1_supplement.569.13
Subject(s) - apoptosome , cytochrome c , cytoplasm , mitochondrion , microbiology and biotechnology , programmed cell death , cytochrome , biology , apoptosis , nucleus , function (biology) , biochemistry , caspase , enzyme
In mammals, the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis, or Programmed Cell Death (PCD), mainly involves activation of the apoptosome‐dependent caspase cascade upon binding of cytochrome c to Apaf‐1 in the cytoplasm. In plants, however, cytochrome c is likewise released from the mitochondria upon death stimuli, but nothing is known on its cytoplasmic function or targets. Actually, the function of cytochrome c is still controversial as it is mostly immobilized (ca. 90%) in the mitochondrial cristae under homeostatic conditions but is massively liberated into the cytoplasm and even the nucleus under PCD conditions. We have recently performed two independent proteomic analyses in human and plant cells. The resulting data reveals that cytochrome c can interact with an ample set of pro‐survival and anti‐apoptotic proteins in both the nucleus and cytoplasm of the two organisms. Some of such proteins are functionally related, thus suggesting a common cytochrome c ‐centred signalosome in plants and humans. This is the first clue about a conserved core of PCD in highly unrelated organisms. Our data indicates that extra‐mitochondrial cytochrome c plays a double role in leading living cells to death, not only by triggering the pro‐apoptotic routes (as it is currently accepted) but also by inhibiting the pro‐survival ones (which is an innovative concept). Actually, it makes no sense to keep furnishing a house that is going to be demolished.