BAP1 gene

BRCA1 associated protein 1

The BAP1 gene provides instructions for making a protein called ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase BAP1 (shortened to BAP1). This protein functions as a deubiquitinase, which means it removes a molecule called ubiquitin from certain proteins. The presence of ubiquitin molecules on a protein can affect the activity of the protein and its interactions with other proteins. The ubiquitin "tag" also promotes breakdown (degradation) of a protein. By removing ubiquitin, BAP1 helps regulate the function of many proteins involved in diverse cellular processes. The BAP1 protein is thought to help control cell growth and division (proliferation) and cell death. Studies suggest that it is involved in the progression of cells through the step-by-step process they take to replicate themselves (called the cell cycle) and that it plays roles in repairing damaged DNA and controlling the activity of genes.

Although the exact mechanism is unclear, the BAP1 protein acts as a tumor suppressor. Tumor suppressor proteins help prevent cells from growing and dividing too rapidly or in an uncontrolled way.