Anti-Beclin-1 BECN1 Antibody

Autophagy, the process of bulk degradation of cellular proteins through an autophagosomic-lysosomal pathway is important for normal growth control and may be defective in tumor cells. Beclin-1, a coiled-coil Bcl-2-interacting protein homologous to the yeast autophagy gene apg6, is a mammalian autophagy gene that can inhibit tumorigenesis and is expressed at reduced levels in human breast carcinoma, suggesting that defects in autophagy proteins may contribute to the development or progression of tumors. Bcl-2 can bind to Beclin-1 and inhibit Beclin-1-dependent autophagy in yeast and mammalian cells, suggesting that Bcl-2 functions as an anti-autophagy protein as well as an anti-apoptotic protein, which helps maintain autophagy at levels that are more compatible with cell survival rather than cell death.

Beclin-1 antibody was raised against a 16 amino acid synthetic peptide from near the carboxy terminus of human Beclin-1. The immunogen is located within the last 50 amino acids of Beclin-1.

Plays a central role in autophagy (PubMed:23184933, PubMed:28445460) . Acts as core subunit of the PI3K complex that mediates formation of phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate; different complex forms are believed to play a role in multiple membrane trafficking pathways: PI3KC3-C1 is involved in initiation of autophagosomes and PI3KC3-C2 in maturation of autophagosomes and endocytosis. Involved in regulation of degradative endocytic trafficking and required for the abcission step in cytokinesis, probably in the context of PI3KC3-C2 (PubMed:20643123, PubMed:20208530, PubMed:26783301) . Essential for the formation of PI3KC3-C2 but not PI3KC3-C1 PI3K complex forms. Involved in endocytosis (PubMed:25275521) . Protects against infection by a neurovirulent strain of Sindbis virus (PubMed:9765397) . May play a role in antiviral host defense.