Reaper is a potent pro-apoptotic protein originally identified in a screen for Drosophila
mutants defective in apoptotic induction. Multiple functions have been ascribed to this
protein, including inhibition of IAPs (inhibitors of apoptosis); induction of IAP degradation;
inhibition of protein translation; and when expressed in vertebrate cells, induction of
mitochondrial cytochrome c release. Structure/function analysis of Reaper has identified an
extreme N-terminal motif that appears to be sufficient for inhibition of IAP function. We report …