METHOD AND COMPOSITION FOR REGULATING APOPTOSIS

摘要

This invention provides non-naturally occurring and isolated naturally occurring nucleic acid molecules which encode proteins designated Yama. This invention also provides the polypeptides and proteins encoded by these nucleic acids as well as the purified native polypeptides or proteins. Also provided by this invention is a non-naturally occurring nucleic acid molecule encoding mutant CrmA protein and a dominant inhibitory Yama. Vectors and host cells containing these nucleic acid molecules are further provided. Methods of modulating a cellular function regulated by the Fas receptor pathway in a cell is provided herein. In one aspect, this method comprises introducing into the cell a nucleic acid molecule coding for a gene product having CrmA biological activity such as dominant inhibitory Yama or alternatively, the CrmA gene product. Yama nucleic acid molecules and proteins also can be introduced into the cell to modulate the cellular function regulated by the Fas receptor.