GENE REFERENCE / HGNC:17944
EXOSC3
exosome component 3
What does this gene do?
The EXOSC3 gene provides instructions for making a protein known as exosome component 3. As its name suggests, this protein forms one part (subunit) of a large, multi-protein complex known as the RNA exosome. Within cells, this complex helps to process multiple types of RNA, which are chemical cousins of DNA, by cutting (cleaving) RNA molecules in certain places. The RNA exosome also breaks down (degrades) molecules of RNA when they are no longer needed. Appropriate processing and breakdown of RNA molecules is essential for the normal functioning of all cells.
Studies suggest that the activity of exosome component 3 is necessary for the normal development and growth of certain areas of the brain, particularly the cerebellum, which is the part of the brain that coordinates movement. Exosome component 3 also appears to be important for the survival of specialized nerve cells in the spinal cord called motor neurons, which play an essential role in muscle movement.
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
- 400
- Submissions for variants in or overlapping this gene
- 629
- Submissions explicitly reporting this gene
- 547
- Alleles reported pathogenic / likely pathogenic
- 53
- VariationIDs with uncertain significance
- 114
- VariationIDs with conflicting classifications
- 14
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 ↗
YOUR DNA FILE
Can your DNA file tell you about EXOSC3?
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 53 alleles in EXOSC3 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 EXOSC3.
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
Source release: Fri, 09 Oct 2026 13:40:45 GMT
Source record updated: 2023-01-20
SHA-256: e4cd9c6d7120051b80e5e61d2aeb98bd6a541ddd21f428a6eab922c11242e053
MedlinePlus Source details
Source release: Sat, 10 Oct 2026 05:16:07 GMT
Source publication: 2020-08-18
Source review: 2014-11
SHA-256: fdc8bd614310c12718379cef6569962e5d0e791cecabcc355b53a72816ac263a
ClinVar Source details
Source release: Sun, 04 Oct 2026 13:15:29 GMT
SHA-256: 126d9e5bded1d43c0380ac6684c86f9aab056d2ff2be93d743e408ed917ae558
About the library sources · Latest validated release · Record e501ec6af2c3