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Identification of inhibitor of apoptosis specific DNase in Xenopus egg extract

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Chinese Science Bulletin

Abstract

When added with cytoch rome c,Xenopus laevis egg extract XS-150 can induce exogenous nuclei undergoing apoptosis. Apoptosis specific DNase XAD was activated during this process, and cut chromatin between nucleosome, leading to DNA Ladder in electrophoresis. Our results showed that an inhibitor of XAD, IXAD, exists abundantly in normal egg extract, its molecular weight is about 40 ku. Normally, IXAD exists either in the form of dimmer or in complex with XAD. It was degraded during apoptosis, releasing active XAD. The results of Western assay and cross-inhibition showed that IXAD was likely homologous to DFF45 in structure and function. At the same time, these results also indicated that the pathway in apoptosis was conserved in evolution.

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Correspondence to Zhonghe Zhai.

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Lu, Z., Yang, W., Cao, Q. et al. Identification of inhibitor of apoptosis specific DNase in Xenopus egg extract. Chin.Sci.Bull. 46, 1449–1453 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03187029

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03187029

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