Insights into the structure and protein–protein interactions of the pro-apoptotic protein ASPP2

ASPP (apoptosis-stimulating protein of p53) 2 is a pro-apoptotic protein that stimulates the p53-mediated apoptotic response. Here, we provide an overview of the structure and protein–protein interactions of ASPP2. The C-terminus of ASPP2 contains Ank (ankyrin) repeats and an SH3 domain (Src homology 3 domain). The Ank–SH3 domains mediate interactions between ASPP2 and numerous proteins involved in apoptosis such as p53 and Bcl-2. The proline-rich domain of ASPP2 is unfolded in its native state, but was not shown to mediate intermolecular interactions. Instead, it makes an intramolecular domain–domain interaction with the Ank–SH3 C-terminal domains of ASPP2. This intramolecular interaction between the unstructured proline-rich domain and the structured Ank–SH3 domains in ASPP2, which is possible due to the unfolded nature of the proline-rich domain, is proposed to have an important role in regulating the intermolecular interactions of ASPP2 with its partner proteins.