dad-1, A Putative Programmed Cell Death Suppressor Gene in Rice

The human dad-1 cDNA homolog was isolated from rice plants. The amino acid sequence of the predicted protein product is well conserved in both animals and plants. This rice dad-1 homolog can rescue the temperature-sensitive dad-1 mutants of hamster cells from apoptotic death, suggesting that the rice dad-1 homolog also functions as a suppressor for programmed cell death.