Scientific article
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Structural and dynamic basis of indirect apoptosis inhibition by Bcl-xL: A case study with Bid

Publication date2026-05-19
First online date2026-05-11
Abstract

Intrinsic apoptosis is a form of cell death which is activated, executed, and inhibited by the Bcl-2 protein family. The structural basis of the inhibition mechanisms remains elusive. Here, we characterize the ensemble structural model of the inhibitory Bcl-xL/tBid complex at the mitochondrial membrane by probing interresidue distances and dynamic solvent accessibilities complemented by integrative modeling and molecular dynamics simulations. We show that Bcl-xL and tBid form a heterodimer anchored to the membrane by the C-terminal helix of Bcl-xL. The BH3 domain of tBid is wedged between the exposed hydrophobic groove of Bcl-xL and the membrane headgroups, while tBid's C-terminal helices remain dynamically engaged with the bilayer. This dynamic architecture sheds light on the mechanism of indirect inhibition of apoptosis.

Keywords
  • Bcl-2 proteins
  • DEER
  • MD simulations
  • Apoptosis
  • Mitochondria
Citation (ISO format)
ELSNER, Christina Mareike et al. Structural and dynamic basis of indirect apoptosis inhibition by Bcl-xL: A case study with Bid. In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2026, vol. 123, n° 20, p. e2527963123. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2527963123
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Article (Published version)
Identifiers
Additional URL for this publicationhttps://pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2527963123
Journal ISSN0027-8424
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Creation12/05/2026 00:31:08
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