A20, an inhibitor of cell death, self-associates by its zinc finger domain

A20 is a primary response gene which is induced after monocyte adherence or cytokine stimulation of a variety of cells, The A20 protein belongs to a novel class of Cys(2)/Cys(2) zinc finger proteins, and has been characterized as an inhibitor of both apoptotic and necrotic cell death. In order to clarify its molecular mechanism of action, we used the yeast-based two-hybrid system to screen for A20-associated proteins, Here we report that A20 is able to self-associate, and demonstrate that the latter interaction is mediated by its zinc finger domain.