Disease relevance of iap

• We show that specific amino acids within both the C3HC4 finger and the N-terminal baculovirus iap repeat are critical for anti-apoptosis function [1].
• The SF-21 insect cell line undergoes rapid and widespread apoptosis when treated with actinomycin D or when infected with a mutant of the baculovirus Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus lacking a p35 gene or a functionally active iap (inhibitor of apoptosis) gene [1].
• Functional analysis of the inhibitor of apoptosis (iap) gene carried by the entomopoxvirus of Amsacta moorei [2].
• However, AmEPV carries a single inhibitor of apoptosis (iap) gene (AMViap) not present in vertebrate poxviruses [2].
• An inhibitor of apoptosis (iap) gene homolog (Tn-iap) of the Trichoplusia ni granulovirus (TnGV) was cloned, sequenced and mapped on the genome of TnGV [3].

High impact information on iap

• The iap genes encode a C3HC4 (or RING) finger motif found in a number of transcriptional regulatory proteins, as well as two additional Cys/His motifs (baculovirus iap repeats) [1].
• P35 is a 35-kDa protein that can suppress apoptosis induced by virus infection or by diverse stimuli in vertebrates or invertebrates. iap homologues were identified in insects and mammals [4].
• The only repeated ORFs are the four iap genes [5].
• The activity of the iap genes was tested by transient expression in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf-21) cells treated with the apoptosis-inducing agents actinomycin D, cycloheximide, anisomycin, tumour necrosis factor-alpha and UV light [6].
• Using an antisense Tn-iap probe, two major transcripts of approximately 800 nt and 1600 nt were detected by Northern blot analysis of RNA extracted from the fat body of T. ni larvae infected with the TnGV [3].

References