Death domain associated protein (Daxx), also known as ETS associated protein 1 (EAP1), is an adaptor protein that binds to the death domain of Fas. Daxx is a 120 kDa protein with a nuclear localization signal sequence. It is highly acidic due to extended glutamic acid-rich domains. Daxx mRNA is extensively expressed in fetal and adult human and mouse tissues. Daxx has also been found in the nucleus where it localizes with the promyelocytic leukemia protein (PML), a gene of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL).
DAXX (death-domain associated protein) plays essential roles in control of transcription and viral infection and carcinogenesis. It controls multiple signaling pathways involved in cell survival and death. It forms a constitutive constituent of promyleocytic leukaemia protein (PML) nuclear bodies (PML-NBs). In human papillomavirus (HPV)-induced cervical carcinoma, this protein translocates gradually from nucleus to nuclear membrane to cytoplasm to plasma membrane. It acts as a bifunctional protein at centrosomic/pericentrosomic heterochromatin, where it controls the loading of heat shock protein H3.3 under normal conditions and the protection epigenetic identity of heterochromatin during stress conditions. The subcellular localization of this protein determines the sensitivity of macrophages to oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL), where its nuclear localization can negate the effect of ox-LDL.
