Cell death regulators

A DNA isolate comprising a DNA sequence encoding a fragment of Bax comprising a sequence encoding Domain I and/or Domain II of the Bax sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:

• 8 or 2, and wherein the DNA isolate is free of homologous chromosomal DNA.

A composition consisting of extrachromosomal DNA molecules which encode a Bax protein of SEQ ID:

• 2 or 3.

A composition consisting of DNA molecules which encode a fragment of a Bax protein comprising a sequence encoding Domain I and/or Domain II of the Bax sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:

• 8 or 2, and wherein the DNA molecules are free of homologous chromosomal DNA.

A composition consisting of .alpha.-RNA molecules which encode a 21 kd Bax protein having 192 amino acids.

A composition consisting of .beta.-RNA molecules which encode a 24 kd Bax protein having 218 amino acids.

A composition consisting of 1.0 kb and 1.5 kb .gamma. RNA molecules which encode a 4.5 kD Bax protein having 41 amino acids.

A cell line transformed with a cloning vector which contains a recombinant polynucleotide which is transcribed to express a 1.0 kb .alpha.RNA molecule which encodes a 21 kD Bax protein.

A cell line transformed with a cloning vector which contains a recombinant polynucleotide which is transcribed to express 1.0 kb .alpha. and 1.5 kb .beta. RNA molecules which encode a 21 KD and a 24 kD Bax protein, respectively.

An isolated Bax polynucleotide which is a sequence of at least 25 consecutive nucleotides of SEQ ID NO:

• 1, SEQ ID NO:4, or SEQ ID NO:6.

An isolated nonhuman mammalian cell comprising a polynucleotide encoding a human Bax polypeptide.

An isolated host cell comprising a recombinant polynucleotide which is substantially free of chromosomal DNA and is transcribed to express a human or murine Bax encoding sequence.

A host cell comprising a recombinant expression vector containing a polynucleotide encoding a Bax polypeptide.