BMI1

BMI1 polycomb ring finger oncogene, also known as BMI1, is a protein which in humans is encoded by the BMI1 gene.

Function

BMI1 has been reported as an oncogene by regulating p16 and p19, which are cell cycle inhibitor genes. Bmi1 knockout in mice results in defects in hematopoiesis, skeletal patterning, neurological functions, and development of the cerebellum.

Bmi1 is necessary for efficient self-renewing cell divisions of adult hematopoietic stem cells as well as adult peripheral and central nervous system neural stem cells. However, it is less important for the generation of differentiated progeny. Given that phenotypic changes in Bmi1 knockout mice are numerous and that Bmi1 has very broad tissue distribution, it is possible that it regulates the self-renewal of other types of somatic stem cells.

Bmi1 is also thought to inhibit ageing in neurons through the suppression of p53.

Structure

Bmi1 has a RING finger at the N-terminus and a central helix-turn-helix domain.

Clinical significance

Bmi1 seems to play an important role in several types of cancer, such as bladder, skin, prostate, breast, ovarian, colorectal as well as hematological malignancies. Its amplification and overexpression is especially pronounced in mantle cell lymphomas.<ref...
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