14-3-3 proteins: structure resolved, functions less clear

Arabidopsis 14-3-3 Proteins: Fascinating and Less Fascinating Aspects

14-3-3 Dimers are well known to interact with diverse target proteins throughout eukaryotes. Most notably, association of 14-3-3s commonly requires phosphorylation of a serine or threonine residue within a specific sequence motif of the client protein. Studies with a focus on individual target proteins have unequivocally demonstrated 14-3-3s to be the crucial factors modifying the client's acti...

Survival-promoting functions of 14-3-3 proteins.

The 14-3-3 proteins are a family of phosphoserine/phosphothreonine-binding molecules that control the function of a wide array of cellular proteins. We suggest that one function of 14-3-3 is to support cell survival. 14-3-3 proteins promote survival in part by antagonizing the activity of associated proapoptotic proteins, including Bad and apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1). Indeed, ex...

14-3-3 proteins: biological function and domain structure.

The 14-3-3 proteins

So what’s so interesting about them? In 1996 14-3-3 was found to bind to a variety of oncoproteins including Raf-1, polyoma middle T, and Bcr-Abl. Since then the 14-3-3 proteins have been shown to bind to a wide variety of proteins involved in signal transduction, cell cycle and apoptosis. These proteins include Cdc25, NFAT, Bad, Cbl, A20, PI 3-kinase, IRS-1, MEKK, p130Cas, glucocorticoid recep...

14-3-3 proteins in apoptosis.

The once obscure members of the 14-3-3 protein family play significant roles in the determination of cell fate. By inhibiting the pro-apoptotic BAD (Bcl-2-antagonist of cell death) and the transcription factor FKHRL-1, 14-3-3 displays important anti-apoptotic characteristics. To date, five points of interaction of 14-3-3 with the apoptotic machinery have been identified. How these interactions ...