該基因編碼的蛋白屬于bcl-2蛋白家族。bcl-2家族成員形成異二聚體或同二聚體，并充當參與多種細胞活動的抗或促凋亡調節器。該基因編碼的蛋白含有一個Bcl-2同源結構域3（bh3）。它被證明與bcl-2蛋白家族的其他成員相互作用，并作為一種凋亡激活劑。神經生長因子（NGF）和叉頭轉錄因子FKHR-L1均可誘導該基因的表達，提示該基因在神經元和淋巴細胞凋亡中的作用。對小鼠的轉基因研究表明，該基因在胸腺細胞陰性選擇中起著重要的誘導凋亡的作用。該基因的幾種選擇性剪接轉錄變體已經被鑒定出來。
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.