BECN1

Beclin-1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the BECN1 gene.^[5][6] Beclin-1 is a mammalian ortholog of the yeast autophagy-related gene 6 (Atg6)  and BEC-1 in the C. elegans nematode.^[7] This protein interacts with either BCL-2 or PI3k class III, playing a critical role in the regulation of both autophagy and cell death.

BECN1
Available structures PDB Ortholog search: K7ER46 PDBe K7ER46 RCSB List of PDB id codes 2P1L, 2PON, 3DVU, 4DDP, 4MI8
Identifiers
Aliases	BECN1, ATG6, VPS30, beclin1, beclin 1
External IDs	OMIM: 604378; MGI: 1891828; HomoloGene: 2794; GeneCards: BECN1; OMA:BECN1 - orthologs
Gene location (Human) Chr. Chromosome 17 (human)[1] Band 17q21.31 Start 42,810,134 bp[1] End 42,833,350 bp[1]
Gene location (Mouse) Chr. Chromosome 11 (mouse)[2] Band 11|11 D Start 101,176,778 bp[2] End 101,193,112 bp[2]
RNA expression pattern Bgee Human Mouse (ortholog) Top expressed in rectum epithelium of colon monocyte Achilles tendon gastric mucosa Skeletal muscle tissue of rectus abdominis gastrocnemius muscle olfactory zone of nasal mucosa muscle layer of sigmoid colon stromal cell of endometrium Top expressed in medullary collecting duct Paneth cell blood endothelial cell of lymphatic vessel retinal pigment epithelium endocardial cushion aortic valve ascending aorta hair follicle ciliary body More reference expression data BioGPS More reference expression data
Gene ontology Molecular function phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase binding protein binding GTPase binding ubiquitin protein ligase binding protein kinase binding protein homodimerization activity Cellular component endosome membrane cytoplasm mitochondrial membranes trans-Golgi network Golgi apparatus cytosol nucleus autophagosome phagophore assembly site membrane dendrite endoplasmic reticulum phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase complex, class III endoplasmic reticulum membrane phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase complex, class III, type II cytoplasmic vesicle endosome extrinsic component of membrane phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase complex, class III, type I phagocytic vesicle mitochondrion protein-containing complex Biological process negative regulation of cell population proliferation response to hypoxia cellular response to aluminum ion response to vitamin E lysosome organization cell cycle positive regulation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signaling cellular response to glucose starvation cellular defense response cytokinesis cellular response to epidermal growth factor stimulus cell division receptor catabolic process autophagy of nucleus cellular response to nitrogen starvation viral process late endosome to vacuole transport apoptotic process cytoplasm to vacuole transport by the Cvt pathway endocytosis engulfment of apoptotic cell positive regulation of attachment of mitotic spindle microtubules to kinetochore amyloid-beta metabolic process neuron development defense response to virus response to other organism mitotic metaphase plate congression regulation of catalytic activity negative regulation of reactive oxygen species metabolic process regulation of cytokinesis negative regulation of apoptotic process negative regulation of cell death autophagosome assembly macroautophagy ageing response to iron(II) ion response to lead ion protein deubiquitination response to nutrient levels cellular response to amino acid starvation cellular response to hydrogen peroxide cellular response to copper ion negative regulation of lysosome organization positive regulation of autophagosome assembly autophagy of mitochondrion mitophagy autophagy positive regulation of autophagy response to mitochondrial depolarisation early endosome to late endosome transport negative regulation of autophagy positive regulation of cardiac muscle hypertrophy negative regulation of autophagosome assembly positive regulation of intrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway Sources:Amigo / QuickGO
Orthologs Species Human Mouse Entrez 8678 56208 Ensembl ENSG00000126581 ENSMUSG00000035086 UniProt Q14457 O88597 RefSeq (mRNA) NM_001313998 NM_001313999 NM_001314000 NM_003766 NM_019584 NM_001359819 NM_001359820 NM_001359821 RefSeq (protein) NP_001300927 NP_001300928 NP_001300929 NP_003757 NP_062530 NP_001346748 NP_001346749 NP_001346750 Location (UCSC) Chr 17: 42.81 – 42.83 Mb Chr 11: 101.18 – 101.19 Mb PubMed search [3] [4]
Wikidata
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Role in disease

Beclin-1 plays an important role in tumorigenesis, and neurodegeneration, being implicated in the autophagic programmed cell death.^[8] Ovarian cancer with upregulated autophagy has a less aggressive behavior and is more responsive to chemotherapy.^[9]

Schizophrenia is associated with low levels of Beclin-1 in the hippocampus of those affected, which causes diminished autophagy which in turn results in increased neuronal cell death.^[10]

Interactions

BECN1 has been shown to interact with:

• Bcl-2^[5]
• BCL2L2^[11]
• GOPC^[12]
• MAP1LC3A^[9]
• Rubicon^[13]
• UVRAG^[13]

Modulators

Trehalose

Trehalose reduces p62/Beclin-1 ratio and increases autophagy in the frontal cortex of ICR mice, possibly by increasing Beclin-1.^[14]