Puma strikes Bax

Abstract

The commitment to programmed cell death via apoptosis is largely made upon activation of the proapoptotic mitochondrial proteins Bax or Bak. In this issue, Gallenne et al. (Gallenne, T., F. Gautier, L. Oliver, E. Hervouet, B. Noël, J.A. Hickman, O. Geneste, P.-F. Cartron, F.M. Vallette, S. Manon, and P. Juin. 2009. J. Cell Biol. 185:279-290) provide evidence that the p53 up-regulated modulator of apoptosis (Puma) protein can directly activate Bax. © 2009 Letai.