ACTL6A
protein-codingactin like 6A, the group of Actin related proteins|BAF complex|GBAF complex|PBAF complex|Tip60/Nua4 histone acetyltransferase complex subunits|SRCAP complex|INO80 complex
Gene summary
This gene encodes a family member of actin-related proteins (ARPs), which share significant amino acid sequence identity to conventional actins. Both actins and ARPs have an actin fold, which is an ATP-binding cleft, as a common feature. The ARPs are involved in diverse cellular processes, including vesicular transport, spindle orientation, nuclear migration and chromatin remodeling. This gene encodes a 53 kDa subunit protein of the BAF (BRG1/brm-associated factor) complex in mammals, which is functionally related to SWI/SNF complex in S. cerevisiae and Drosophila; the latter is thought to facilitate transcriptional activation of specific genes by antagonizing chromatin-mediated transcriptional repression. Together with beta-actin, it is required for maximal ATPase activity of BRG1, and for the association of the BAF complex with chromatin/matrix. Three transcript variants that encode two different protein isoforms have been described. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]
MANE transcript
Inheritance
ClinVar variants
Top phenotype
gnomAD constraint
Max pathogenic AF
Genomic locus
External References & Databases
Transcript & Mutation Effects
hg38 • Region Span ~25.5 kbGenCC Phenotypes & Disease Associations
Curated gene-disease validity assertions and inheritance patterns
Inheritance Pattern: AD
Disease ID:MONDO:0001071
Submitter: Illumina
Inheritance Pattern: AD
Disease ID:MONDO:0000508
Submitter: Illumina
Inheritance Pattern: AD
Disease ID:MONDO:0700121
Submitter: ClinGen
The actin-like protein 6A (*ACTL6A*) gene is located on chromosome 3 at 3q26 and encodes BRG1-associated factor A, a widely expressed regulatory subunit of the SWI/SNF chromatin-remodeling complex, which functions in cellular differentiation (PMID: 23395444). *ACTL6A* was first reported in relation to a neurodevelopmental disorder with dysmorphic features in 2017 (Marom et al., PMID: 28649782). This disorder is characterized by intellectual disability or developmental delay as well as clinical features that include intrauterine growth retardation and failure to thrive in infancy, facial dysmorphisms, digital and urogenital anomalies, and cardiac defects (PMID 28649782). Five variants (1 frameshift, 1 splice-site, and 3 missense variants) have been reported in six cases across four publications (PMIDs: 28649782, 31994175, 34906496, 34485408) and are included in this curation. The *ACTL6A* gene is intolerant to loss-of-function variation. The mechanism of pathogenicity is reported to be loss of function. This gene-disease association is supported by biochemical function, and rescue in a non-human model data (PMIDs: 32873422, 33602870). Homozygous deletion of the mouse homologue (*Actl6a*) results in early embryonic lethality (PMID: 23018638), while a conditional knockout mouse model demonstrates stalled cell cycle progression, resulting in cell death and disruption of appropriate neuronal cell differentiation (PMID: 33602870). In summary, there is moderate evidence to support this gene-disease relationship. While more evidence is needed to establish this relationship definitively, no convincing contradictory evidence has emerged. This gene-disease pair was originally evaluated by the ClinGen Syndromic Disorders GCEP on July 21, 2023 (SOP Version 9). It was reevaluated on September 30, 2025 (SOP Version 11). There was no new evidence. As a result of this reevaluation, the classification did not change.
Inheritance Pattern: AD
Disease ID:MONDO:0000508
Submitter: Orphanet
Inheritance Pattern: AD
Disease ID:MONDO:0700121
Submitter: G2P
Inheritance Pattern: AD
Disease ID:MONDO:0700092
Submitter: PanelApp Australia
ClinVar Associated Diseases & Phenotypes
Reported disease conditions connected to ACTL6A variants in ClinVar
ClinVar Variants & Pathogenicity by Type
Statistics based on transcript NM_004301.5. Only rare variants are included.
We include only reliable ClinVar variants with their consequences to MANE Select, MANE Plus Clinical transcripts, or transcripts with TSL equal to 1. Click a count to filter the variants table below.
Slight differences between displayed counts and ClinVar may occur due to a different transcript/consequence chosen by our variant effect predictor, or because we classify Benign/Likely benign as Likely benign and Pathogenic/Likely pathogenic as Likely pathogenic.
| Effect | PathogenicP | Likely pathogenicLP | VUS | Likely benignLB | BenignB | Sum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| synonymous | 2 | 5 | 7 | |||
| missense | 1 | 46 | 5 | 1 | 53 | |
| nonsense | 0 | |||||
| start loss | 0 | |||||
| frameshift | 0 | |||||
| splice donor/acceptor (+/-2bp) | 10 | 10 | ||||
| Total | 0 | 1 | 58 | 10 | 1 | 70 |
Highest pathogenic variant AF is 0.0000031610277
Transcript Catalog
Annotated transcript isoforms across RefSeq and Ensembl databases
| Transcript ID | Source | Protein ID | Coding Exons | MANE Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RefSeq | NP_004292.1 | 14 | MANE Select | |
| Ensembl | ENSP00000397552.2 | 14 | MANE Select | |
| RefSeq | NP_817126.1 | 12 | Standard | |
| RefSeq | NP_829888.1 | 12 | Standard |
Model Organisms & Knockout Phenotypes
Observed phenotypic effects in mouse and zebrafish models
| Gene / Model | Organism | Observed Phenotype |
|---|---|---|
| actl6a | Danio rerio | Structure: head Quality: edematous abnormal |
Gene Ontology (GO) Annotations & Pathways
Biological processes, molecular functions, cellular components and pathways
Pathways ConsensusPathDB
- Thermogenesis - Homo sapiens (human)
- Hepatocellular carcinoma - Homo sapiens (human)
- Androgen Receptor Network in Prostate Cancer
- Gastric Cancer Network 1
- Tumor suppressor activity of SMARCB1
Biological Process
- blastocyst formation
- neural retina development
- DNA repair
- DNA recombination
- chromatin remodeling
Molecular Function
- RNA polymerase II proximal promoter sequence-specific DNA binding
- RNA polymerase II distal enhancer sequence-specific DNA binding
- chromatin binding
- transcription coactivator activity
- protein binding
Cellular Component
- nuclear chromatin
- nucleus
- nucleoplasm
- plasma membrane
- SWI/SNF complex
gnomAD Constraint
Source:
- Gene type
- protein_coding
- Transcript type
- protein_coding
- Transcript
- ENST00000429709
- Coding exons
- 14
- Length
- 25529
- Individuals with no LoFs
- 125721
- Homozygous LoFs
- 0
- Heterozygous LoFs
- 3
- Defined
- 125724
- p
- 0.0000119
| Z-Score | Observed | Expected | Observed/Expected | Mutation Rate | Total Possible | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missense | 2.94 | 110 | 237 | 0.463 | 0.0000119 | 2825 |
| Missense (PolyPhen) | 30 | 96.123 | 0.3121 | 1185 | ||
| Synonymous | 0.284 | 75 | 78.2 | 0.959 | 0.00000403 | 784 |
| Loss of Function | 4.32 | 2 | 25.6 | 0.0781 | 0.00000118 | 322 |
Population LoF Frequency
| Population | CAF | p-value | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| African | 0.000062 | 0.000062 | rare |
| Latino/Admixed American | 0 | 0.0 | absent |
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 0 | 0.0 | absent |
| East Asian | 0 | 0.0 | absent |
| Finnish | 0 | 0.0 | absent |
| European (Non-Finnish) | 0.000018 | 0.000018 | rare |
| South Asian | 0 | 0.0 | absent |
| Other | 0 | 0.0 | absent |
dbNSFP Gene Annotations
Source:
- Function
- FUNCTION: Involved in transcriptional activation and repression of select genes by chromatin remodeling (alteration of DNA-nucleosome topology). Component of SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes that carry out key enzymatic activities, changing chromatin structure by altering DNA-histone contacts within a nucleosome in an ATP-dependent manner. Required for maximal ATPase activity of SMARCA4/BRG1/BAF190A and for association of the SMARCA4/BRG1/BAF190A containing remodeling complex BAF with chromatin/nuclear matrix. Belongs to the neural progenitors- specific chromatin remodeling complex (npBAF complex) and is required for the proliferation of neural progenitors. During neural development a switch from a stem/progenitor to a postmitotic chromatin remodeling mechanism occurs as neurons exit the cell cycle and become committed to their adult state. The transition from proliferating neural stem/progenitor cells to postmitotic neurons requires a switch in subunit composition of the npBAF and nBAF complexes. As neural progenitors exit mitosis and differentiate into neurons, npBAF complexes which contain ACTL6A/BAF53A and PHF10/BAF45A, are exchanged for homologous alternative ACTL6B/BAF53B and DPF1/BAF45B or DPF3/BAF45C subunits in neuron-specific complexes (nBAF). The npBAF complex is essential for the self-renewal/proliferative capacity of the multipotent neural stem cells. The nBAF complex along with CREST plays a role regulating the activity of genes essential for dendrite growth (By similarity). Component of the NuA4 histone acetyltransferase (HAT) complex which is involved in transcriptional activation of select genes principally by acetylation of nucleosomal histones H4 and H2A. This modification may both alter nucleosome - DNA interactions and promote interaction of the modified histones with other proteins which positively regulate transcription. This complex may be required for the activation of transcriptional programs associated with oncogene and proto-oncogene mediated growth induction, tumor suppressor mediated growth arrest and replicative senescence, apoptosis, and DNA repair. NuA4 may also play a direct role in DNA repair when recruited to sites of DNA damage. Putative core component of the chromatin remodeling INO80 complex which is involved in transcriptional regulation, DNA replication and probably DNA repair. {ECO:0000250|UniProtKB:Q9Z2N8, ECO:0000269|PubMed:14966270, ECO:0000269|PubMed:29374058, ECO:0000303|PubMed:15196461, ECO:0000303|PubMed:22952240, ECO:0000303|PubMed:26601204}.;
- Disease
- DISEASE: Note=ACTL6A mutations have been found in patients with intellectual disability of variable severity, developmental delay, dysmorphic features and digit abnormalities. Additional features may include genitourinary and cardiac defects. The disease phenotype resembles Coffin-Siris syndrome and brachymorphism- onychodysplasia-dysphalangism syndrome. {ECO:0000269|PubMed:28649782}.;
Recessive Scores
- pRec
- 0.718
Intolerance Scores
- LoFtool
- 0.0202
- RVIS EVS
- 0.28
- RVIS percentile EVS
- 71.27
Essentials
- Essential (CRISPR)
- E
- Essential (CRISPR2)
- E
- Essential (gene trap)
- E
- Indispensability pred.
- E
- Indispensability score
- 0.857
Gene Damage Prediction
| All | Recessive | Dominant | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mendelian | Medium | Medium | Medium |
| Primary Immunodeficiency | Medium | Medium | Medium |
| Cancer | Medium | Medium | Medium |