APAF1 Rabbit Polyclonal Antibody (R1312-20)

UNIPROT #

O14727

PROTEIN NAME

APAF1

SYNONYMS

APAF 1 antibody;Apaf-1 antibody;APAF_HUMAN antibody;Apaf1 antibody;Apoptotic peptidase activating factor 1 antibody;Apoptotic protease activating factor 1 antibody;Apoptotic protease activating factor antibody;Apoptotic protease-activating factor 1 antibody;CED 4 antibody;CED4 antibody;KIAA0413 antibody

TISSUE SPECIFICITY

Ubiquitous. Highest levels of expression in adult spleen and peripheral blood leukocytes, and in fetal brain, kidney and lung. Isoform 1 is expressed in heart, kidney and liver.

SUBCELLULAR LOCATION

Cytoplasm

FUNCTION

Apoptotic protease activating factor 1, also known as APAF1, is a human homolog of C. elegans CED-4 gene. This gene encodes a cytoplasmic protein that forms one of the central hubs in the apoptosis regulatory network. This protein contains (from the N terminal) a caspase recruitment domain (CARD), an ATPase domain (NB-ARC), few short helical domains and then several copies of the WD40 repeat domain. Upon binding cytochrome c and dATP, this protein forms an oligomeric apoptosome. The apoptosome binds and cleaves caspase 9 preproprotein, releasing its mature, activated form. The precise mechanism for this reaction is still debated though work published by Guy Salvesen suggests that the apoptosome may induce caspase 9 dimerization and subsequent autocatalysis. Activated caspase 9 stimulates the subsequent caspase cascade that commits the cell to apoptosis.