The protein encoded by this gene belongs to the BCL-2 protein family. BCL-2 family members form hetero- or homodimers and act as anti- or pro-apoptotic regulators that are involved in a wide variety of cellular activities. The protein encoded by this gene contains a Bcl-2 homology domain 3 (BH3). It has been shown to interact with other members of the BCL-2 protein family, including BCL2, BCL2L1/BCL-X(L), and MCL1, and to act as an apoptotic activator. The expression of this gene can be induced by nerve growth factor (NGF), as well as by the forkhead transcription factor FKHR-L1 (FoxO3a), which suggests a role of this gene in neuronal and lymphocyte apoptosis. Transgenic studies of the mouse counterpart suggested that this gene functions as an essential initiator of apoptosis in thymocyte-negative selection. Several alternatively spliced transcript variants of this gene have been identified.[3]
Regulation of Bim
Bim expression and activity are regulated at the transcriptional, translational and post-translational levels; coordinated expression and activity of Bim shape immune responses, and ensure tissue integrity. Cancer cells develop mechanisms that suppress Bim expression, which allows for tumor progression and metastasis. [4]
↑ 1.01.11.21.31.4Hsu SY, Lin P, Hsueh AJ (November 1998). "BOD (Bcl-2-related ovarian death gene) is an ovarian BH3 domain-containing proapoptotic Bcl-2 protein capable of dimerization with diverse antiapoptotic Bcl-2 members". Mol Endocrinol. 12 (9): 1432–40. doi:10.1210/mend.12.9.0166. PMID9731710.
↑Vadlamudi RK, Bagheri-Yarmand R, Yang Z, Balasenthil S, Nguyen D, Sahin AA, den Hollander P, Kumar R (June 2004). "Dynein light chain 1, a p21-activated kinase 1-interacting substrate, promotes cancerous phenotypes". Cancer Cell. 5 (6): 575–85. doi:10.1016/j.ccr.2004.05.022. PMID15193260.
↑Bae J, Leo CP, Hsu SY, Hsueh AJ (August 2000). "MCL-1S, a splicing variant of the antiapoptotic BCL-2 family member MCL-1, encodes a proapoptotic protein possessing only the BH3 domain". J. Biol. Chem. 275 (33): 25255–61. doi:10.1074/jbc.M909826199. PMID10837489.
Further reading
Wang K, Yin XM, Chao DT, et al. (1996). "BID: a novel BH3 domain-only death agonist". Genes Dev. 10 (22): 2859–69. doi:10.1101/gad.10.22.2859. PMID8918887.
Zha J, Harada H, Yang E, et al. (1997). "Serine phosphorylation of death agonist BAD in response to survival factor results in binding to 14-3-3 not BCL-X(L)". Cell. 87 (4): 619–28. doi:10.1016/S0092-8674(00)81382-3. PMID8929531.
Puthalakath H, Huang DC, O'Reilly LA, et al. (1999). "The proapoptotic activity of the Bcl-2 family member Bim is regulated by interaction with the dynein motor complex". Mol. Cell. 3 (3): 287–96. doi:10.1016/S1097-2765(00)80456-6. PMID10198631.
Ohi N, Tokunaga A, Tsunoda H, et al. (1999). "A novel adenovirus E1B19K-binding protein B5 inhibits apoptosis induced by Nip3 by forming a heterodimer through the C-terminal hydrophobic region". Cell Death Differ. 6 (4): 314–25. doi:10.1038/sj.cdd.4400493. PMID10381623.
Bouillet P, Metcalf D, Huang DC, et al. (1999). "Proapoptotic Bcl-2 relative Bim required for certain apoptotic responses, leukocyte homeostasis, and to preclude autoimmunity". Science. 286 (5445): 1735–8. doi:10.1126/science.286.5445.1735. PMID10576740.
Bae J, Leo CP, Hsu SY, Hsueh AJ (2000). "MCL-1S, a splicing variant of the antiapoptotic BCL-2 family member MCL-1, encodes a proapoptotic protein possessing only the BH3 domain". J. Biol. Chem. 275 (33): 25255–61. doi:10.1074/jbc.M909826199. PMID10837489.
Dijkers PF, Medema RH, Lammers JW, et al. (2000). "Expression of the pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family member Bim is regulated by the forkhead transcription factor FKHR-L1". Curr. Biol. 10 (19): 1201–4. doi:10.1016/S0960-9822(00)00728-4. PMID11050388.
Bouillet P, Zhang LC, Huang DC, et al. (2001). "Gene structure alternative splicing, and chromosomal localization of pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 relative Bim". Mamm. Genome. 12 (2): 163–8. doi:10.1007/s003350010242. PMID11210187.
Putcha GV, Moulder KL, Golden JP, et al. (2001). "Induction of BIM, a proapoptotic BH3-only BCL-2 family member, is critical for neuronal apoptosis". Neuron. 29 (3): 615–28. doi:10.1016/S0896-6273(01)00238-0. PMID11301022.
Murray S, Halford S, Ebenezer ND, et al. (2001). "Assignment of BCL2L11 to human chromosome band 2p13 with somatic cell and radiation hybrids". Cytogenet. Cell Genet. 92 (3–4): 353. doi:10.1159/000056930. PMID11435715.
Mami U, Miyashita T, Shikama Y, et al. (2002). "Molecular cloning and characterization of six novel isoforms of human Bim, a member of the proapoptotic Bcl-2 family". FEBS Lett. 509 (1): 135–41. doi:10.1016/S0014-5793(01)03145-3. PMID11734221.
Bouillet P, Purton JF, Godfrey DI, et al. (2002). "BH3-only Bcl-2 family member Bim is required for apoptosis of autoreactive thymocytes". Nature. 415 (6874): 922–6. doi:10.1038/415922a. PMID11859372.
Liu JW, Chandra D, Tang SH, et al. (2002). "Identification and characterization of Bimgamma, a novel proapoptotic BH3-only splice variant of Bim". Cancer Res. 62 (10): 2976–81. PMID12019181.
Terradillos O, Montessuit S, Huang DC, Martinou JC (2002). "Direct addition of BimL to mitochondria does not lead to cytochrome c release". FEBS Lett. 522 (1–3): 29–34. doi:10.1016/S0014-5793(02)02871-5. PMID12095614.
Sugiyama T, Shimizu S, Matsuoka Y, et al. (2002). "Activation of mitochondrial voltage-dependent anion channel by apro-apoptotic BH3-only protein Bim". Oncogene. 21 (32): 4944–56. doi:10.1038/sj.onc.1205621. PMID12118373.