This is a highly conserved family of proteins which contains three pairs of cysteine residues within a length of 42 amino acids and is rich in proline residues towards the N-terminus. It includes a membrane protein that has been found to be highly expressed in the mouse brain and consequently, several members have been assigned as brain protein I3 (Bri3) [1]. Their function is unknown but they appear to play a role in TNF-induced cell death [2].

1: Sequence, genomic structure and tissue expression of Human BRI3, a member of the BRI gene family. Vidal R, Calero M, Revesz T, Plant G, Ghiso J, Frangione B; Gene. 2001;266:95-102. PMID:11290423

2: bri3, a novel gene, participates in tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced cell death. Wu H, Liu G, Li C, Zhao S; Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2003;311:518-524. PMID:14592447