abstract |
A domain of Bcl-2 that suppresses apoptosis by allowing cell survival permits cell proliferation when mutated. The wild type domain includes amino acid residues 51 to 97 (SEQ ID NO:13) of Bcl-2. Peptides including the domain and nucleotides encoding the domain are useful in molecular screening of human tumors for the presence of mutations that allow proliferation of cells that were otherwise marked for apoptosis. The peptides are also useful to screen for proteins that play a role in the modulation of cellular proliferation. |