Bcl-2-like protein 2; Bcl2-L-2; apoptosis regulator Bcl-W (BCL2L2, BCLW, KIAA0271)

Function

• promotes cell survival
• blocks dexamethasone-induced apoptosis
• mediates survival of postmitotic Sertoli cells by suppressing death-promoting activity of BAX

Structure

• the BH4 motif seems to be involved in the anti-apoptotic function
• the BH1 motif & BH2 motif form a hydrophobic groove which act as a docking site for the BH3 domain of some pro-apoptotic proteins
• the C-terminal residues of BCL2L2 fold into the BH3-binding cleft & modulate pro-survival activity by regulating ligand access
• when BH3 domain-containing proteins bind, they displace the C-terminus, allowing its insertion into the membrane & neutralizing the pro-survival activity of BCL2L2
• belongs to the Bcl-2 family

Compartment

• mitochondrial membrane
• peripheral membrane protein
• loosely associated with the mitochondrial membrane in healthy cells
• during apoptosis, tightly bound to mitochondrial membrane

Expression

• expressed (at protein level) in a wide range of tissues
• highest levels in brain, spinal cord, testis, pancreas, heart, spleen & mammary glands
• moderate levels found in thymus, ovary & small intestine
• not detected in salivary gland, muscle or liver
• also expressed in cell lines of myeloid, fibroblast & epithelial origin
• not detected in most lymphoid cell lines

More general terms

• bcl-2 subfamily protein
• anti apoptotic protein

Database

• Entrez gene: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=gene&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=Graphics&list_uids=599
• Kegg: http://www.genome.jp/dbget-bin/www_bget?hsa:599
• OMIM: https://mirror.omim.org/entry/601931
• UniProt: http://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/Q92843.html