A Bcl-2-binding protein, designated Bag-1, lacks significant homology with Bcl-2 or with other Bcl-2-related proteins. Bag-1 appears to function to enhance Bcl-2 protection from cell death, suggesting that Bag-1 represents a new type of anti-cell death gene. This also suggests that certain routes of apoptosis induction, previously ascribed to Bcl-2-independent pathways, may instead reflect a requirement for a combination of Bcl-2 and Bag-1.