Background
BMI1 is a protein that is encoded by the BMI1 gene (B cell-specific Moloney murine leukemia virus integration site 1) in human. BMI1 has been reported as an oncogene by regulating p16 and p19, which are cell cycle inhibitor genes. BMI1 gene knockout in mice results in defects in hematopoiesis, skeletal patterning, neurological functions, and development of the cerebellum. Recently it has been reported BMI1 is rapidly recruited to sites of DNA damage and it sustains for over 8h. 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.
Cellular location
Cytoplasm, Nucleus