GENE REFERENCE / HGNC:2711

DCTN1

dynactin subunit 1

protein-coding gene2p13.1Gene information

What does this gene do?

The DCTN1 gene provides instructions for making a protein called dynactin-1. At least two different versions of this protein are produced in cells. The two versions differ in size; the larger version is called p150-glued, and the smaller version is called p135.

Both versions of the dynactin-1 protein interact with several other proteins to form a group (a complex) of proteins called dynactin. The p150-glued version of dynactin-1 is the largest component (subunit) of the dynactin complex. This complex plays a critical role in cell division and the transport of materials within cells. To carry out these roles, the complex's p150-glued subunit attaches (binds) to a protein called dynein, which acts as a motor, and also binds to a track-like system of small tubes called microtubules. The dynactin complex, dynein, and microtubules work together like a conveyer belt to move materials within cells.

Researchers believe that the dynactin complex is particularly important for the proper function of axons, which are specialized extensions of nerve cells (neurons). Axons transmit impulses from nerve to nerve and from nerves to muscles. Axons can be quite long; some are more than 3 feet in length. The dynactin complex is a critical part of a rapid transport system that supplies axons with materials to keep them healthy and functioning efficiently.

Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Source publication: 2023-03-21. Source review: 2012-08.

ClinGen reviews

ClinGen reviews the evidence linking a particular gene to a condition. Each rating below describes the strength of that link. It does not classify a variant in your DNA file.

Condition	Inheritance	Evidence
amyotrophic lateral sclerosisMONDO:0004976 · Evaluated 2023-08-04	Autosomal dominant	ModerateAmyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Spectrum Disorders Gene Curation Expert Panel

ClinVar records

These numbers show what has been submitted to ClinVar. They cannot tell you how likely you are to have a condition.

Submitted alleles: 1,638
Submissions for variants in or overlapping this gene: 2,765
Submissions explicitly reporting this gene: 2,726
Alleles reported pathogenic / likely pathogenic: 14
VariationIDs with uncertain significance: 820
VariationIDs with conflicting classifications: 76

The rows count different things: alleles, submissions or VariationIDs. Their categories can overlap, so do not add them together. Pathogenic/likely pathogenic counts exclude structural variants that merely overlap a gene. A dash in the source means “not reported,” not zero.

NCBI produces the gene-summary file each week using counts recorded at the start of the month. The numbers may differ from those on the live ClinVar website. Read the field definitions ↗

View this gene in ClinVar ↗

YOUR DNA FILE

Can your DNA file tell you about DCTN1?

From a DNA test kit (such as 23andMe, AncestryDNA or MyHeritage). These kits check a fixed list of about 600,000 to 700,000 positions across your whole genome. ClinVar lists 14 alleles in DCTN1 reported as pathogenic or likely pathogenic. A kit checks only some of these positions, and often none of them.

From whole genome sequencing (a VCF file). Sequencing reads most of your genome. Your file lists the places where your DNA differs from the reference genome. Some regions are hard to sequence, including parts of some genes that have near-identical copies elsewhere, and a VCF file does not record which positions were read well.

If a variant is not in your file, that does not mean you don’t have it.

What BioDecode checks

BioDecode compares every variant in your file with ClinVar, on your own computer. For each match, it shows the ClinVar classification, the review status and the condition it was reported for. Your file is not uploaded.

A ClinVar classification applies to one particular variant and the condition it was reported for. It does not tell you about other variants in DCTN1.

BioDecode cannot fill gaps in your test, diagnose a condition or replace clinical testing.

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