Apoptosis Inducing Factor, Mitochondrion Associated 3 (AIFM3)

Human AIFL has 598 amino acids, with a characteristic Rieske domain and a pyridine nucleotide-disulfide oxidoreductase domain. AIFL shares 35% homology with AIF, mainly in the Pyr_redox domain. Reverse transcriptase-PCR analysis showed the expression of AIFL mRNA in all tissues tested, i.e. brain, colon, heart, kidney, liver, lung, muscle, ovary, pancreas, placenta, small intestine, and testis. AIFL is predominantly localized to the mitochondria. Similar to AIF, overexpression of AIFL induced apoptosis, as shown by increased cytoplasmic nucleosomes and subdiploid cell populations in AIFL-transfected cells. AIFL transfection-induced cytochrome c release and cleavage of caspase 3. Furthermore, the pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-fmk inhibited AIFL induced apoptosis.