- Second mitochondria-derived activator of caspases
Second mitochondria-derived activator of caspases (Smac) is a
mitochondrial protein that promotes cytochrome-c dependent activation by eliminating the inhibition of IAP - a protein that negatively regulatesapoptosis or programmed cell death. [ [http://www.jbc.org/cgi/content/full/277/14/12275 SMAC Negatively Regulates the Anti-apoptotic Activity of Melanoma Inhibitor of Apoptosis (ML-IAP) - Vucic et al. 277 (14): 12275 - Journal of Biological Chemistry ] ] Smac is normally a mitochondrial protein but is found in the cytosol when a cell is primed for apoptosis by the final execution step ofcaspase activation. Smac is the second protein in the apoptosis link, along with cytochrome c, that promotes apoptosis by activating caspases.SMAC is also commonly referred to as "Diablo".
References
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