Overview:

BAX is a proapoptotic protein of the BCL2 protein family. BAX forms a heterodimer with BCL2 and functions as an apoptotic activator. BAX interacts with and increases the opening of the mitochondrial voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC), which leads to the loss in the mitochondrial membrane potential and the release of cytochrome c (1). The expression of BAX gene is regulated by the tumor suppressor p53 and BAX 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 (2).

Genbank Number:

NM_004324

References:

1. Shimizu, S. et al: Bcl-2 family proteins regulate the release of apoptogenic cytochrome c by the mitochondrial channel VDAC. Nature 399: 483-487, 1999.

2. Meijerink, J. P. P. et al : Hematopoietic malignancies demonstrate loss-of-function mutations of BAX. Blood 91: 2991-2997, 1998.