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Genetics Library / Genes / RNF216

GENE REFERENCE / HGNC:21698

RNF216

ring finger protein 216

protein-coding gene7p22.1Gene information

What does this gene do?

The RNF216 gene provides instructions for making a protein that plays a role in the ubiquitin-proteasome system, which is the cell machinery that breaks down (degrades) unwanted proteins. Specifically, this protein functions as an E3 ubiquitin ligase. E3 ubiquitin ligases form part of a protein complex that tags damaged or excess proteins with molecules called ubiquitin. Ubiquitin serves as a signal to specialized cell structures known as proteasomes, which attach (bind) to the tagged proteins and degrade them.

The RNF216 protein tags proteins involved in an early immune response called inflammation to help control the response. RNF216 also regulates the amount of a protein in nerve cells (neurons) called Arc, which plays a role in a process called synaptic plasticity. Synaptic plasticity is the ability of the connections between neurons (synapses) to change and adapt over time in response to experience. This process is critical for learning and memory. It is likely that the RNF216 protein also regulates proteins involved in other body processes, although these proteins have not been identified.

Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Source publication: 2020-08-18. Source review: 2017-07.

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
527
Submissions for variants in or overlapping this gene
688
Submissions explicitly reporting this gene
576
Alleles reported pathogenic / likely pathogenic
33
VariationIDs with uncertain significance
249
VariationIDs with conflicting classifications
7

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 RNF216?

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 33 alleles in RNF216 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 RNF216.

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: 2017-07

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 980246981d1e