title: bcl-w, a novel member of the bcl-2 family, promotes cell survival.
abstract: The prototypic mammalian regulator of cell death is bcl-2, the oncogene implicated in the development of human follicular lymphoma. Several homologues of bcl-2 are now known. Using a PCR-based strategy we cloned a novel member of this gene family, denoted bcl-w. The gene, which is highly conserved between mouse and human, resides near the T-cell antigen receptor alpha gene within the central portion of mouse chromosome 14 and on human chromosome 14 at band q11. Enforced expression of bcl-w rendered lymphoid and myeloid cells refractory to several (but not all) cytotoxic conditions. Thus, like Bcl-2 and Bcl-x, the Bcl-w protein promotes cell survival, in contrast to other close homologues, Bax and Bak, which facilitate cell death. Comparison of the expected amino acid sequence of Bcl-w with that of these relatives helps to delineate residues likely to convey survival or anti-survival function. While expression of bcl-w was uncommon in B or T lymphoid cell lines, the mRNA was observed in almost all murine myeloid cell lines analysed and in a wide range of tissues. These findings suggest that bcl-w participates in the control of apoptosis in multiple cell types. Its functional similarity to bcl-2 also makes it an attractive candidate proto-oncogene.
authors: Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, PO Royal Melbourne Hospital, Victoria, Australia.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Gibson
authors: S P
authors: SP
authors: Holmgreen
authors: D C
authors: DC
authors: Huang
authors: O
authors: O
authors: Bernard
authors: N G
authors: NG
authors: Copeland
authors: N A
authors: NA
authors: Jenkins
authors: G R
authors: GR
authors: Sutherland
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Baker
authors: J M
authors: JM
authors: Adams
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Cory
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D001483:Base Sequence; D002470:Cell Survival; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D002883:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 14; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; C491073:BCL2L2 protein, human; C101155:Bcl2l2 protein, mouse; D018076:DNA, Complementary; C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D011506:Proteins; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2