Kep1 interacts genetically with dredd/caspase-8, and kep1 mutants alter the balance of dredd isoforms.

The Drosophila kep1 gene encodes an RNA binding protein related to the murine QUAKING apoptotic inducer. We have previously shown that kep1 can induce apoptosis when transfected into different cell lines. To better define the role of Kep1 in apoptosis, we generated kep1 null flies.