HNRNPU

Chr 1AD

heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein U

DNA- and RNA-binding protein involved in several cellular processes such as nuclear chromatin organization, telomere-length regulation, transcription, mRNA alternative splicing and stability, Xist-mediated transcriptional silencing and mitotic cell progression (PubMed:10490622, PubMed:18082603, PubMed:19029303, PubMed:22325991, PubMed:25986610, PubMed:28622508). Plays a role in the regulation of interphase large-scale gene-rich chromatin organization through chromatin-associated RNAs (caRNAs) in a transcription-dependent manner, and thereby maintains genomic stability (PubMed:1324173, PubMed:28622508, PubMed:8174554). Required for the localization of the long non-coding Xist RNA on the inactive chromosome X (Xi) and the subsequent initiation and maintenance of X-linked transcriptional gene silencing during X-inactivation (By similarity). Plays a role as a RNA polymerase II (Pol II) holoenzyme transcription regulator (PubMed:10490622, PubMed:15711563, PubMed:19617346, PubMed:23811339, PubMed:8174554, PubMed:9353307). Promotes transcription initiation by direct association with the core-TFIIH basal transcription factor complex for the assembly of a functional pre-initiation complex with Pol II in a actin-dependent manner (PubMed:10490622, PubMed:15711563). Blocks Pol II transcription elongation activity by inhibiting the C-terminal domain (CTD) phosphorylation of Pol II and dissociates from Pol II pre-initiation complex prior to productive transcription elongation (PubMed:10490622). Positively regulates CBX5-induced transcriptional gene silencing and retention of CBX5 in the nucleus (PubMed:19617346). Negatively regulates glucocorticoid-mediated transcriptional activation (PubMed:9353307). Key regulator of transcription initiation and elongation in embryonic stem cells upon leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) signaling (By similarity). Involved in the long non-coding RNA H19-mediated Pol II transcriptional repression (PubMed:23811339). Participates in the circadian regulation of the core clock component BMAL1 transcription (By similarity). Plays a role in the regulation of telomere length (PubMed:18082603). Plays a role as a global pre-mRNA alternative splicing modulator by regulating U2 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) biogenesis (PubMed:22325991). Plays a role in mRNA stability (PubMed:17174306, PubMed:17289661, PubMed:19029303). Component of the CRD-mediated complex that promotes MYC mRNA stabilization (PubMed:19029303). Enhances the expression of specific genes, such as tumor necrosis factor TNFA, by regulating mRNA stability, possibly through binding to the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) (PubMed:17174306). Plays a role in mitotic cell cycle regulation (PubMed:21242313, PubMed:25986610). Involved in the formation of stable mitotic spindle microtubules (MTs) attachment to kinetochore, spindle organization and chromosome congression (PubMed:21242313). Phosphorylation at Ser-59 by PLK1 is required for chromosome alignement and segregation and progression through mitosis (PubMed:25986610). Also contributes to the targeting of AURKA to mitotic spindle MTs (PubMed:21242313). Binds to double- and single-stranded DNA and RNA, poly(A), poly(C) and poly(G) oligoribonucleotides (PubMed:1628625, PubMed:8068679, PubMed:8174554, PubMed:9204873, PubMed:9405365). Binds to chromatin-associated RNAs (caRNAs) (PubMed:28622508). Associates with chromatin to scaffold/matrix attachment region (S/MAR) elements in a chromatin-associated RNAs (caRNAs)-dependent manner (PubMed:10671544, PubMed:11003645, PubMed:11909954, PubMed:1324173, PubMed:28622508, PubMed:7509195, PubMed:9204873, PubMed:9405365). Binds to the Xist RNA (PubMed:26244333). Binds the long non-coding H19 RNA (PubMed:23811339). Binds to SMN1/2 pre-mRNAs at G/U-rich regions (PubMed:22325991). Binds to small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs) (PubMed:22325991). Binds to the 3'-UTR of TNFA mRNA (PubMed:17174306). Binds (via RNA-binding RGG-box region) to the long non-coding Xist RNA; this binding is direct and bridges the Xist RNA and the inactive chromosome X (Xi) (By similarity). Also negatively regulates embryonic stem cell differentiation upon LIF signaling (By similarity). Required for embryonic development (By similarity). Binds to brown fat long non-coding RNA 1 (Blnc1); facilitates the recruitment of Blnc1 by ZBTB7B required to drive brown and beige fat development and thermogenesis (By similarity)

Primary Disease Associations & Inheritance

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy 54MIM #617391
AD
477
ClinVar variants
73
Pathogenic / LP
1.00
pLI score· haploinsufficient
2
Active trials
Clinical SummaryHNRNPU
🧬
Gene-Disease Validity (ClinGen)
complex neurodevelopmental disorder · ADDefinitive

Definitive — sufficient evidence for diagnostic panels

Population Constraint (gnomAD)
Highly constrained gene — heterozygous loss-of-function variants are very rare in the population (pLI 1.00). One damaged copy is likely sufficient to cause disease.
📋
ClinVar Variants
73 Pathogenic / Likely Pathogenic· 178 VUS of 477 total submissions
💊
Clinical Trials
2 active or recruiting trials — potential therapeutic options may be available

Population Genetics & Constraint

gnomAD v4 — loss-of-function & missense intolerance

Dual constrained — LoF & missense intolerant
LoF Constraint?LOEUF (Loss-of-function Observed/Expected Upper bound Fraction) is the upper bound of the 90% CI for LoF OE — the preferred gnomAD v4 metric. Lower = more intolerant to LoF. LOEUF < 0.35 = highly constrained.
0.11LOEUF
pLI 1.000
Z-score 5.84
OE 0.02 (0.010.11)
Highly constrained

Among the most LoF-intolerant genes (~top 3%)

Missense Constraint?Missense Z-score: standard deviations fewer missense variants observed vs. expected. Z > 3.09 (p < 0.001) = gene does not tolerate missense variation. OE missense < 0.6 is also considered constrained.
3.37Z-score
OE missense 0.56 (0.500.62)
253 obs / 455.5 exp
Constrained

Highly missense-constrained (top ~0.1%)

Observed / Expected Ratios?Shaded band = 90% confidence interval. Vertical tick = point estimate. Grey threshold line = gnomAD constraint cutoff for that variant class.
LoF OE?Ratio of observed to expected LoF variants. Upper CI bound (LOEUF) ≤ 0.35 = strong LoF constraint signal.0.02 (0.010.11)
00.351.4
Missense OE?Ratio of observed to expected missense variants. OE ≤ 0.6 = fewer missense variants than expected by chance.0.56 (0.500.62)
00.61.4
Synonymous OE?Control metric — synonymous variants are largely neutral and expected near OE = 1.0. Significant deviation may indicate annotation issues.1.28
01.21.6
LoF obs/exp: 1 / 41.7Missense obs/exp: 253 / 455.5Syn Z: -2.83

ClinVar Variant Classifications

477 submitted variants in ClinVar

Classification Summary

Pathogenic59
Likely Pathogenic14
VUS178
Likely Benign205
Benign15
Conflicting6
59
Pathogenic
14
Likely Pathogenic
178
VUS
205
Likely Benign
15
Benign
6
Conflicting

Curated Variants Distribution

Classified variants from ClinVar · 5 ACMG categories

ClassificationLoFMissense + InframeNon-codingSynonymousTotal
Pathogenic
23
2
34
0
59
Likely Pathogenic
6
1
7
0
14
VUS
5
152
20
1
178
Likely Benign
0
27
69
109
205
Benign
0
8
6
1
15
Conflicting
6
Total34190136111477

LoF = frameshift, stop gained/lost, canonical splice · Counts from ClinVar esearch · Updated hourly

View in ClinVar →

Protein Context — Lollipop Plot

HNRNPU · protein map & ClinVar variants

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

Gene2Phenotype Curations

HNRNPU-related epileptic encephalopathy

definitive
ADLoss Of FunctionAbsent Gene Product
Dev. Disorders
G2P ↗

Gene2Phenotype curations · DECIPHER consortium patient cohort (public variants) · deciphergenomics.org

OMIM — Genotype-Phenotype Relationships

1 OMIM entry

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy 54

MIM #617391

Molecular basis of disorder known

Autosomal dominant
📖
GeneReview available — HNRNPU
Authoritative clinical overview · NCBI Bookshelf · Recommended first read
Open GeneReview ↗
Clinical Literature
Landmark / reviewRecent case evidence
Key Publications
Landmark & review papers · by relevance
PubMed
Top 10 resultsSearch PubMed ↗