Investigating IAP-binding proteins to identify novel IAP-regulatory proteins.

IAP-mediated inhibition of caspases has to be overcome in cells destined to die.

While IAP proteins function to suppress the activation or activity of caspases in healthy cells, this IAP-mediated inhibition of caspases has to be overcome in cells destined to die. In Drosophila, the function of IAP-antagonists is critically important for developmentally controlled programmed cell death. Using state-of-the-art mass spectrometric analysis, we are currently isolating IAP-binding proteins to identify novel molecules that regulate IAP function. To this end we are purifying IAP complexes (IAPosomes) and analyse their components by mass spectrometry. This project is conducted in close collaboration with Dr. Matthias Gstaiger, Institute for Molecular Systembiology, ETH, Switzerland.