該基因編碼的蛋白屬于bcl2蛋白家族。BCL2家族成員形成異二聚體或同二聚體，并作為抗或促凋亡調節因子參與多種細胞活動。該蛋白與bcl2形成異二聚體，并作為凋亡激活劑發揮作用。據報道，該蛋白與線粒體電壓依賴性陰離子通道（vdac）相互作用并增加其開放性，導致膜電位下降和細胞色素c的釋放。該基因的表達受抑癌基因p53的調控，并參與p53介導的細胞凋亡。多個選擇性剪接的轉錄變體，編碼不同的亞型，已經報道了這個基因。[由RefSeq提供，2008年7月]
The protein encoded by this gene belongs to the BCL2 protein family. BCL2 family members form hetero- or homodimers and act as anti- or pro-apoptotic regulators that are involved in a wide variety of cellular activities. This protein forms a heterodimer with BCL2, and functions as an apoptotic activator. This protein is reported to interact with, and increase the opening of, the mitochondrial voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC), which leads to the loss in membrane potential and the release of cytochrome c. The expression of this gene is regulated by the tumor suppressor P53 and has been shown to be involved in P53-mediated apoptosis. Multiple alternatively spliced transcript variants, which encode different isoforms, have been reported for this gene. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]