Bcl2/Adenovirus E1B 19kDa Interacting Protein 2 (BNIP2)

BNIP2 is a member of the BCL2/adenovirus E1B 19 kd-interacting protein (BNIP) family. Though the specific function is unknown, it interacts with the E1B 19 kDa protein which is responsible for the protection of virally-induced cell death, as well as E1B 19 kDa-like sequences of BCL2, also an apoptotic protector.

The interactions occurred at bipartite sequence motifs common to both the 19-kD and BCL2 proteins. The deduced NIP2 protein has 315 amino acids and contains a putative calcium-binding motif. The authors reported that a 126-amino acid region of NIP2 shows 47% identity to a region of the human GTPase-activating protein RhoGAP (ARHGAP1) that is upstream of the functional domain. They localized NIP2 to the nuclear envelope region and to other cytoplasmic structures.