PB1-F2 is a protein found in almost all known strains of Influenza A virus - a negative sense ssRNA Orthomyxovirus [1]. It originates from translation of the viral polymerase gene in an alternative reading frame [1]. PB1-F2 consists of two independen ...
PB1-F2 is a protein found in almost all known strains of Influenza A virus - a negative sense ssRNA Orthomyxovirus [1]. It originates from translation of the viral polymerase gene in an alternative reading frame [1]. PB1-F2 consists of two independent structural domains, two closely neighboring short helices at the N terminus, and an extended C-terminal helix [1]. 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 [1]. 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 [1]. In this way it acts like the Bcl-2 protein family which are physiological apoptotic regulators in cells [1].
