Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40187349›Full record

ArticleMolecular cell2025

Structural basis of BAK sequestration by MCL-1 in apoptosis.

Shagun Srivastava, Giridhar Sekar, Adedolapo Ojoawo, Anup Aggarwal, Elisabeth Ferreira, Emiko Uchikawa, Meek Yang, Christy R Grace, Raja Dey, Yi-Lun Lin and 7 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Molecular cell, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Upadacitinib Restrains the Pathogenic Fitness of CD4Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors.

Shagun SrivastavaBiochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA.
Giridhar SekarStructural Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105.
Adedolapo OjoawoStructural Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105; Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
Anup AggarwalStructural Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105; Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA.
Elisabeth FerreiraBiochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA.
Emiko UchikawaDubochet Center for Imaging, EPFL, Lausanne 1015, Vaud, Switzerland.
Meek YangChemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas Fayetteville, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA.
Christy R GraceStructural Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105.
Raja DeyBiochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA.
Yi-Lun LinStructural Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105.
Cristina D GuibaoStructural Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105.
Seetharaman JayaramanStructural Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105; Pharmacology, Addiction Science, and Toxicology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA.
Somnath MukherjeeBiochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
Anthony A KossiakoffBiochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
Bin DongChemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas Fayetteville, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA.
Alexander MyasnikovDubochet Center for Imaging, EPFL, Lausanne 1015, Vaud, Switzerland.
Tudor MoldoveanuBiochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA. Electronic address: tmoldoveanu@uams.edu.

Funding

Life Science and Biomedical technology Research center at NSLS-II LSBRP41GM111244 · NIGMS · BROOKHAVEN SCIENCE ASSOC-BROOKHAVEN LAB · PI MCSWEENEY, SEAN · 2014 to 2018
$16.4M
Unraveling DNA Polymerase Double-Strand Break Repair Strategies in CancerP20GM152281 · NIGMS · UNIV OF ARKANSAS FOR MED SCIS · PI Eric Enemark · 2024 to 2026
$9.2M
Chaperone-Assisted Structure Determination of Membrane ProteinsR01GM117372 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO · PI ANTHONY A KOSSIAKOFF · 2016 to 2026
$4.0M
Elucidating the structural basis of mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization in apoptosisR01GM129470 · NIGMS · UNIV OF ARKANSAS FOR MED SCIS · PI MOLDOVEANU, TUDOR · 2020 to 2024
$1.7M
NIGMS NIH HHS P20 GM152281NIGMS NIH HHS P41 GM111244NIGMS NIH HHS R01 GM117372NIGMS NIH HHS R01 GM129470
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Apoptosis controls cell fate, ensuring tissue homeostasis and promoting disease when dysregulated. The rate-limiting step in apoptosis is mitochondrial poration by the effector B cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) family proteins BAK and BAX, which are activated by initiator BCL-2 homology 3 (BH3)-only proteins (e.g., BIM) and inhibited by guardian BCL-2 family proteins (e.g., MCL-1). We integrated structural, biochemical, and pharmacological approaches to characterize the human prosurvival MCL-1:BAK complex assembled from their BCL-2 globular core domains. We reveal a canonical interaction with BAK BH3 bound to the hydrophobic groove of MCL-1 and disordered and highly dynamic BAK regions outside the complex interface. We predict similar conformations of activated effectors in complex with other guardians or effectors. The MCL-1:BAK complex is a major cancer drug target. We show that MCL-1 inhibitors are inefficient in neutralizing the MCL-1:BAK complex, requiring high doses to initiate apoptosis. Our study underscores the need to design superior clinical candidate MCL-1 inhibitors.

Indexed as

Apoptosisbcl-2 Homologous Antagonist-Killer ProteinMyeloid Cell Leukemia Sequence 1 Proteinbcl-2-Associated X ProteinHumansModels, MolecularProtein BindingBAK1 protein, humanbcl-2-Associated X Proteinbcl-2 Homologous Antagonist-Killer ProteinMCL1 protein, humanMyeloid Cell Leukemia Sequence 1 Proteinapoptosisapoptosis resistanceBCL-2 antagonist killer BAKBCL-2 family proteinsBCL-2-like protein 11 BIMBH3-interacting domain death agonist BIDBH3 mimeticsBH3-only initiatorcryo-electron microscopydirect BAK activationinduced myeloid leukemia cell differentiation protein MCL-1MCL-1 inhibitorsmitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization MOMPmode II MCL-1:BAK sequestrationmode II neutralizationNMR spectroscopyPhorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate-induced protein 1 NOXAprodeath effectorprosurvival guardianX-ray crystallography

Identifiers

PMID40187349
PMCPMC12086701

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.