Abstract A poptosis r elated protein in T GF-? s ignaling pathway (ARTS) was originally discovered cells undergoing apoptosis response to TGF-?, but ARTS also acts downstream of many other apoptotic stimuli. induces by antagonizing the anti-apoptotic proteins XIAP and Bcl-2. Here we identified pro-apoptotic Sept4/ARTS gene as a p53-responsive target gene. Ectopic p53 variety p53-inducing agents...

Initiation of apopotosis requires the conversion of procaspases to mature caspases. Here we show that oligomerization of pro-caspases is sufficient to induce proteolytic generation of mature caspase subunits and activation of their cell death activity. Deletion of the protein interaction motif DED from pro-caspase-8 greatly suppresses its apoptotic activity. Cell death activity can be restored ...