NICGFPmediated inhibition of apoptosis was abrogated in cells where Akt1 protein was depleted using siRNA (Figure 3b), or following the cotransfection of a DN (defective ATPbinding mutant) construct of Akt (DNAkt; Figure 3c), positioning Akt as an intermediate in the pathway activated by Notch. As Notch lacks intrinsic kinase activity, we speculated that the phosphorylation of Akt in cells expressing Notch was indicative of another signaling intermediate in this transduction cascade. Recent work has characterized the nutritional sensor mTOR in association with Rictor, mLST8, and SIN1 (mTORC2) as the complex regulating the phosphorylation of Akt on S473.17, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 Pathways upstream of mTORC2 are not well characterized, which prompted us to test the involvement of mTOR and Rictor in Notchmediated antiapoptotic activity..That sound you hear? Champagne corks in the Strib's editorial suite. Brian Bakst of the AP says, "Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton tells the Associated Pre