Bmf Antibody #4692

The BH3-only proteins are a group of pro-apoptotic proteins of the Bcl-2 family that share the conserved BH3 domain but lack BH1, BH2, and BH4 (1). This short BH3 domain is essential for interaction with pro-survival members of the Bcl-2 family and allows for their pro-apoptotic activity. A large number of BH3-only proteins have been identified in mammals, including Bmf, Bad, Bik, Bid, Bim, Hrk, Noxa, and Puma. Many of these proteins appear to display distinct roles in apoptosis through tissue-specific expression. Bmf (Bcl-2-modifying factor) was originally identified in a yeast two-hybrid screen using the pro-survival protein Mcl-1 as bait (2). Bmf appears to be widely expressed, with bmf mRNA observed in cell lines of B- and T-lymphoid, myeloid, or fibroblastoid origin and in mouse embryos at all developmental stages. Bmf protein is seen most abundantly in pancreas, liver, kidney, and hematopoietic tissues (2, 3). Bmf interacts with several pro-survival Bcl-2 proteins including Mcl-1, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, and Bcl-w, and the interaction depends on the BH3 domain (2). Like Bim, Bmf has been reported to bind to cytoskeletal structures. Bmf is normally sequestered to myosin V motors through association with dynein light chain 2 (DLC2). Certain damage signals, such as the detachment of adherent cell lines from their substratum (anoikis), triggers the release of Bmf and subsequent binding to the pro-survival Bcl-2 proteins (2).