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BH 3‐only proteins: a 20‐year stock‐take
Author(s) -
Doerflinger Marcel,
Glab Jason A.,
Puthalakath Hamsa
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the febs journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.981
H-Index - 204
eISSN - 1742-4658
pISSN - 1742-464X
DOI - 10.1111/febs.13190
Subject(s) - apoptosis , biology , homeostasis , microbiology and biotechnology , suppressor , p53 protein , computational biology , bioinformatics , genetics , gene
BH 3‐only proteins are the sentinels of cellular stress, and their activation commits cells to apoptosis. Since the discovery of the first BH 3‐only protein BAD almost 20 years ago, at least seven more BH 3‐only proteins have been identified in mammals. They are regulated by a variety of environmental stimuli or by developmental cues, and play a crucial role in cellular homeostasis. Some are considered to be tumor suppressors, and also play a significant role in other pathologies. Their non‐apoptotic functions are controversial, but there is broad consensus emerging regarding their role in apoptosis, which may help in designing better therapeutic agents for treating a variety of human diseases.