APAF1, Official Symbol APAF1provided by HGNC Official Full Name apoptotic peptidase activating factor 1provided by HGNC Primary source HGNC:HGNC:576 See related Ensembl:ENSG00000120868 MIM:602233; AllianceGenome:HGNC:576 Gene type protein coding RefSeq status REVIEWED Organism Homo sapiens Lineage Eukaryota; Metazoa; Chordata; Craniata; Vertebrata; Euteleostomi; Mammalia; Eutheria; Euarchontoglires; Primates; Haplorrhini; Catarrhini; Hominidae; Homo Also known as CED4; APAF-1 Summary This gene encodes a cytoplasmic protein that initiates apoptosis. This protein contains several copies of the WD-40 domain, a caspase recruitment domain (CARD), and an ATPase domain (NB-ARC). Upon binding cytochrome c and dATP, this protein forms an oligomeric apoptosome. The apoptosome binds and cleaves caspase 9 preproprotein, releasing its mature, activated form. Activated caspase 9 stimulates the subsequent caspase cascade that commits the cell to apoptosis. Alternative splicing results in several transcript variants encoding different isoforms. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008] Expression Ubiquitous expression in bone marrow (RPKM 6.1), appendix (RPKM 5.1) and 25 other tissues See more Orthologs mouse all