BMI1 - BMI1 Proto-oncogene, Polycomb Ring Finger

This gene encodes a ring finger protein that is major component of the polycomb group complex 1 (PRC1). This complex functions through chromatin remodeling as an essential epigenetic repressor of multiple regulatory genes involved in embryonic development and self-renewal in somatic stem cells. This protein also plays a central role in DNA damage repair. This gene is an oncogene and aberrant expression is associated with numerous cancers and is associated with resistance to certain chemotherapies. A pseudogene of this gene is found on chromosome X. Read-through transcription also exists between this gene and the upstream COMM domain containing 3 (COMMD3) gene. [provided by RefSeq, Sep 2015]