Reaper Proteins

Scientists have been known to give some proteins whimsical names. Such is the case with a protein called Reaper as in Grim Reaper. The Rockefeller University website has a news article about experiments whose results are detailed in a paper published in the Journal of Cell Biology. The Reaper protein is the focus of the article. Cells have a mechanism known as apoptosis which enables organisms to kill off their own cells. Why would such a mechanism exist? Because it is sometimes advantageous to an organism to be able to kill defective cells, particularly ones with severely damaged DNA or precancerous properties.

Reaper facilitates the killing process by interacting with inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) in order to release the brakes on the cellular suicide mechanism. IAPs inhibit the process as their name implies. An ability to enhance the effectiveness of Reaper proteins so as to target specified cells like cancerous ones, for example, offers the possibility of adding a new weapon to the cancer fighting arsenal.

Scientists have discovered that Reaper proteins effect their mission by making contacting with cellular organelles called mitochondria. Mitochondria can be thought of as cellular energy factories. The travel of Reaper to the mitochondria is effected by latching on to Hid proteins. The Hid/Reaper complex of proteins protects Reaper from degradation. Getting Reaper directly to mitochondria can mean a more effective killing process.