HEXA

Chr 15AR

hexosaminidase subunit alpha

Also known as: TSD

This gene encodes a member of the glycosyl hydrolase 20 family of proteins. The encoded preproprotein is proteolytically processed to generate the alpha subunit of the lysosomal enzyme beta-hexosaminidase. This enzyme, together with the cofactor GM2 activator protein, catalyzes the degradation of the ganglioside GM2, and other molecules containing terminal N-acetyl hexosamines. Mutations in this gene lead to an accumulation of GM2 ganglioside in neurons, the underlying cause of neurodegenerative disorders termed the GM2 gangliosidoses, including Tay-Sachs disease (GM2-gangliosidosis type I). Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants, at least one of which encodes a preproprotein that is proteolytically processed. [provided by RefSeq, Jan 2016]

GeneReviewsOMIMResearchGenerating clinical summary…

Primary Disease Associations & Inheritance

[Hex A pseudodeficiency]MIM #272800
AR
GM2-gangliosidosis, several formsMIM #272800
AR
Tay-Sachs diseaseMIM #272800
AR

Clinical highlights

Gene-disease validity (ClinGen)
Tay-Sachs disease · ARDefinitivesufficient evidence for diagnostic panels
Interpreting a novel variant
Loss of function is the curated mechanism (Gene2Phenotype), though the gene is not strongly LoF-constrained in the population — weigh truncating variants against that tolerance.Curated gene-level mechanism — a prior for triage, not a per-variant call.
5
Active trials
368
Pubs (1 yr)
P/LP submissions
P/LP missense
LOEUF
LOF
Mechanism· G2P
📖
GeneReview available — HEXA
Authoritative clinical overview · Recommended first read
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Some data sources returned errors (1)

gnomad: TimeoutError: The operation was aborted due to timeout

Population Genetics & Constraint

Constraint data not available from gnomAD.

ClinVar Variant Classifications

0 submitted variants in ClinVar

Protein Context — Lollipop Plot

HEXA · protein map & ClinVar variants

Showing all ClinVar variants across the protein. Search a specific variant to highlight its position.