Structural insight into CIDE domains: the Janus face of CIDEs.

Cell-death inducing DFF45-like effect domain (CIDE domain) is a protein interaction module that was initially found in DNA fragmentation factor (DFF) proteins DFF40 and DFF45. Several other CIDE-containing proteins, CIDE-A, CIDE-B, and CIDE-3, have since been identified in humans. Although the main function of these proteins is associated with apoptosis, recent studies have identified roles of CIDE-containing proteins in energy metabolism, especially involvement in control of the size of lipid droplets. Because CIDE-containing proteins perform critical tasks in apoptosis and energy metabolism and have been linked to many human diseases including cancer and obesity, studies of CIDE domains and CIDE-containing proteins are of great biological importance. This review summarizes the structural insight into CIDE and the CIDE-CIDE complex and speculates on a generalized strategy for the CIDE-CIDE interaction based on the available CIDE structures and molecular modelling.