Beclin-1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the BECN1 gene. Beclin-1 is a mammalian ortholog of the yeast autophagy-related gene 6 (Atg6) and BEC-1 in the C. elegans nematode. This protein interacts with either BCL-2 or PI3k class III, playing a critical role in the regulation of both autophagy and cell death. Beclin-1 plays an important role in tumorigenesis, and neurodegeneration, being implicated in the autophagic programmed cell death. Ovarian cancer with upregulated autophagy has a less aggressive behavior and is more responsive to chemotherapy. 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. This protein is thought to play a role in multiple cellular processes, including tumorigenesis, neurodegeneration and apoptosis. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants.