Bcl-2

Bcl-2 nineteen-kilodalton interacting protein 3 (BNIP3) is a pro-apoptotic BH3-only protein. BNIP3 localizes to the mitochondrial membrane where it plays a key role in mitochondrial autophagy and cell death pathways. Similar to other Bcl-2 family members, BNIP3 binds to Bcl-2 and can activate the downstream effectors of Bax/Bak.

The BAG proteins are a large family of chaperone regulators governing a wide range of cell processes such as proliferation, survival, stress response, tumorigenesis, neuronal differentiation, growth arrest and apoptosis as reviewed in Takayama et al¹. BAG proteins are co-chaperones that interact with several forms of the chaperone heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) – the association allows them to both positively and negatively regulate Hsp70.