该基因编码的蛋白属于bcl-2蛋白家族。bcl-2家族成员形成异二聚体或同二聚体，并充当参与多种细胞活动的抗或促凋亡调节器。该基因编码的蛋白含有一个Bcl-2同源结构域3（bh3）。它被证明与bcl-2蛋白家族的其他成员相互作用，并作为一种凋亡激活剂。神经生长因子（NGF）和叉头转录因子FKHR-L1均可诱导该基因的表达，提示该基因在神经元和淋巴细胞凋亡中的作用。对小鼠的转基因研究表明，该基因在胸腺细胞阴性选择中起着重要的诱导凋亡的作用。该基因的几种选择性剪接转录变体已经被鉴定出来。
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 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, 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.