Description
This gene belongs to a pro-apoptotic subfamily within the BCL-2 protein family, referred to as the BCL-2 homology domain 3 (BH3)-only subfamily, which determine whether a cell commits to apoptosis. In response to death-inducing stimuli, BH3-only members inhibit the anti-apoptotic BCL-2 family members, which under steady-state conditions keep the multi-BH domain proteins BAX and BAK, in an inactive state.