IDENTIFICATION OF A NOVEL ANTIAPOPTOTIC PROTEIN, GAM-1, ENCODED BY THE CELO ADENOVIRUS

We have developed a simple screening method to identify genes that mim ic bcl-2 or adenovirus E1B 19K in enhancing cell survival after transf ection and have used this method to identify such a gene in the avian adenovirus CELO. The gene encodes a novel 30-kDa nuclear protein, whic h we have named GAM-1, that functions comparably to Bcl-2 and adenovir us E1B 19K in blocking apoptosis. However, GAM-1 has no sequence homol ogy to Bcl-2, E1B 19K, or any other known antiapoptotic proteins and t hus defines a novel antiapoptotic function.