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Genetics Library / Genes / DCXR

GENE REFERENCE / HGNC:18985

DCXR

dicarbonyl and L-xylulose reductase

protein-coding gene17q25.3Gene information

What does this gene do?

The DCXR gene provides instructions for making a protein called dicarbonyl and L-xylulose reductase (DCXR), which plays multiple roles in the body. One of its functions is to perform a chemical reaction that converts a sugar called L-xylulose to a molecule called xylitol. This reaction is one step in a process by which the body can use sugars for energy. There are two versions of L-xylulose reductase in the body, known as the major isoform and the minor isoform. The DCXR gene provides instructions for making the major isoform, which converts L-xylulose more efficiently than the minor isoform. It is unclear if the minor isoform is produced from the DCXR gene or another gene.

Another function of the DCXR protein is to break down toxic compounds called alpha-dicarbonyl compounds. These compounds, which are byproducts of certain cellular processes or are found in foods in the diet, must be broken down so they do not damage cells.

The DCXR protein is also one of several proteins that get attached to the surface of sperm cells as they mature. DCXR is involved in the interaction of a sperm cell with an egg cell during fertilization.

Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Source publication: 2020-08-18. Source review: 2015-01.

Related condition topics

MedlinePlus mentions this gene in the condition pages below. These links alone do not show that the gene causes a condition.

ClinGen reviews

We found no matching ClinGen review in the data used here. This does not rule out a link between the gene and a condition.

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
79
Submissions for variants in or overlapping this gene
126
Submissions explicitly reporting this gene
96
Alleles reported pathogenic / likely pathogenic
1
VariationIDs with uncertain significance
41
VariationIDs with conflicting classifications
0

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 DCXR?

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 1 allele in DCXR 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 DCXR.

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

Sources and dates

The source information on this page last changed on 2026-10-10.

HGNC Source details

Open source record ↗

Source release: Fri, 09 Oct 2026 13:40:45 GMT
Source record updated: 2023-01-20

SHA-256: e4cd9c6d7120051b80e5e61d2aeb98bd6a541ddd21f428a6eab922c11242e053

MedlinePlus Source details

Open source record ↗

Source release: Sat, 10 Oct 2026 05:16:07 GMT
Source publication: 2020-08-18
Source review: 2015-01

SHA-256: fdc8bd614310c12718379cef6569962e5d0e791cecabcc355b53a72816ac263a

ClinVar Source details

Open source record ↗

Source release: Sun, 04 Oct 2026 13:15:29 GMT

SHA-256: 126d9e5bded1d43c0380ac6684c86f9aab056d2ff2be93d743e408ed917ae558

About the library sources · Latest validated release · Record 81a2a3c97b71