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Influenza A Proapoptotic protein PB1-F2 is a protein found in almost all known strains of Influenza A virus - a negative sense ssRNA Orthomyxovirus. It originates from translation of the viral polymerase gene in an alternative reading frame. PB1-F2 consists of two independent structural domains, two closely neighboring short helices at the N terminus, and an extended C-terminal helix. Although the protein has originally been described to induce apoptosis, it has now been shown that PB1-F2 more likely acts as an apoptosis promoter in concert with other apoptosis-inducing agents. PB1-F2 promotes apoptosis by localising to the mitochondria where it destabilises the membrane. This will cause release of cytochrome C which activates the caspase cascade of apoptosis through the endogenous pathway. In this way it acts like the Bcl-2 protein family which are physiological apoptotic regulators in cells. |
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