Journal
CELL DISCOVERY
Volume 1, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP
DOI: 10.1038/celldisc.2015.2
Keywords
synaptic acetylcholinesterase; nuclear translocation; DNA-binding protein; DNA cleavage; deoxyribonuclease; apoptosis
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Funding
- Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality [14ZR1446600]
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In addition to terminating neurotransmission by hydrolyzing acetylcholine, synaptic acetylcholinesterase (AChES) has been found to have a pro-apoptotic role. However, the underlying mechanism has rarely been investigated. Here, we report a nuclear translocation-dependent role for AChES as an apoptotic deoxyribonuclease ( DNase). AChES polypeptide binds to and cleaves naked DNA at physiological pH in a Ca2+-Mg2+-dependent manner. It also cleaves chromosomal DNA both in pre-fixed and in apoptotic cells. In the presence of a pan-caspase inhibitor, the cleavage still occurred after nuclear translocation of AChES, implying that AChES-DNase acts in a CAD- and EndoG-independent manner. AChE gene knockout impairs apoptotic DNA cleavage; this impairment is rescued by overexpression of the wild-type but not (aa 32-138)-deleted AChES. Furthermore, in comparison with the nuclear-localized wild-type AChES, (aa 32-138)-deleted AChES loses the capacity to initiate apoptosis. These observations confirm that AChES mediates apoptosis via its DNase activity.
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