Utilizing chimeric proteins for exploring the cellular fate of endogenous proteins

Ahmi Ben-Yehudah, Rami Aqeilan, Ruth Belostotsky, Yehudith Azar, Haya Lorberboum-Galski

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

We recently designed and constructed chimeric proteins for the elimination of specific cell populations. These chimeric proteins are composed of a targeting component fused to an apoptotic protein as the killing moiety. However, chimeric proteins can serve not only to eliminate cell populations, but also as "biological tools" for studying the fate of endogenous proteins. We show here that upon entering their target cell, a variety of chimeric proteins composed of an endogenous protein as their killing moiety reach the subcellular location of their endogenous counterpart. In contrast, bacterial-based killing domains head for the subcellular site of their substrate. Moreover, the chimeric protein acts similarly to the endogenous protein, while causing the cell to die. Therefore, chimeric proteins may serve as a unique tool for investigating cellular proteins and their intracellular localization, without the need to overexpress them.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)332-338
Number of pages7
JournalBiochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
Volume290
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 2002

Keywords

  • Bax
  • Biological tool
  • Chimeric proteins
  • Confocal microscopy
  • Endogenous protein localization

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