PRIM1

protein-coding

DNA primase subunit 1

Gene summary

The replication of DNA in eukaryotic cells is carried out by a complex chromosomal replication apparatus, in which DNA polymerase alpha and primase are two key enzymatic components. Primase, which is a heterodimer of a small subunit and a large subunit, synthesizes small RNA primers for the Okazaki fragments made during discontinuous DNA replication. The protein encoded by this gene is the small, 49 kDa primase subunit. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]

MANE transcript

NM_000946.3

Inheritance

AR

ClinVar variants

P:3U:48B:8

Top phenotype

Primordial dwarfism-immunodeficiency-lipodystrophy syndrome

gnomAD constraint

pLI —, LoF o/e 0.4

Max pathogenic AF

—

Genomic locus

chr12:56,730,438-56,752,374

External References & Databases

Transcript & Mutation Effects

hg38 • Region Span ~21.9 kb
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GenCC Phenotypes & Disease Associations

Curated gene-disease validity assertions and inheritance patterns

primordial dwarfism-immunodeficiency-lipodystrophy syndromeLIMITED

Inheritance Pattern: AR

Disease ID:MONDO:0859276

Submitter: Ambry Genetics

primordial dwarfism-immunodeficiency-lipodystrophy syndromeLIMITED

Inheritance Pattern: Unknown

Disease ID:MONDO:0859276

Submitter: Labcorp Genetics (formerly Invitae)

primordial dwarfism-immunodeficiency-lipodystrophy syndromeMODERATE

Inheritance Pattern: AR

Disease ID:MONDO:0859276

Submitter: ClinGen

PRIM1 was first reported in relation to autosomal recessive primordial dwarfism-immunodeficiency-lipodystrophy (PDIL) syndrome in 2020 (Parry DA et al., PMID: 33060134). PDIL syndrome is characterized by unique facial features, prenatal and postnatal growth restriction, immunodeficiency disorder (recurrent infections, low IgM, low IgA, or B cell deficiency), chronic respiratory syndrome, and hepatic dysfunction. A total of 4 variants (3 splicing and 1 missense) have been reported in eight probands from six families in two publications that were included in this curation (PMIDs: 33060134, 38773012). Evidence supporting this gene-disease relationship includes case-level data, segregation data, and experimental data. Since 2020, there has been one splicing variant recurrently reported in six probands: four of them were from the same country and all were homozygous for this variant (PMIDs: 33060134, 38773012). A different splicing variant was reported in the compound heterozygous state alongside a missense variant in one proband (PMID: 33060134). In 2024, a third novel splicing variant was reported in the homozygous state in one proband with a relatively mild clinical phenotype but pronounced B cell lymphopenia (normal T cell count) and no evidence of developmental issues or liver disease (PMID: 38773012). The genetic evidence score reached 9 after variant scores were curated with incorporation of experimental evidence that suggests the two canonical splicing variants resulting in in-frame insertion proteins are hypomorphic. In all reported cases, parents who carry a heterozygous PRIM1 variant are clinically unaffected. This gene-disease relationship is also supported by experimental evidence (e.g. expression, in vitro functional assays, yeast models, etc.) (PMIDs: 33060134, 38773012). Partial loss of PRIM1 protein was demonstrated on immunoblotting of lymphoid and fibroblast cells from patients with the recurrent homozygous splicing variant (PMIDs: 33060134, 38773012). In one of the patients carrying the identical recurrent homozygous splicing variant, doubling time in their fibroblasts appeared increased compared to controls and impaired efficiency of DNA replication was observed in BrdU-DNA content flow cytometry (PMID: 33060134). To investigate the effect of the missense variant, a non-patient cell functional assay was performed and demonstrated partial loss of PRIM1 protein likely due to misfolding and/or disturbance of the catalytic site (PMID: 33060134). To further investigate the same missense variant, a yeast model study was complete and found defects in DNA synthesis which resulted in lethality for yeast (PMID: 33060134). For the other splicing variant reported in 2020, in vitro functional assay exemplified evidence of lower PRIM1 protein levels, consistent with the partial loss of function (PMID: 33060134). In the cells of the patient reported in 2024 with a similar novel splicing variant and more pronounced B cell lymphopenia phenotype but less clinical severity, a partial loss of PRIM1 protein was observed (PMID: 38773012). PRIM1 is involved in DNA synthesis alike POLE which has also been associated with immunodeficiency (PMID: 24043831). 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 classification was approved by the ClinGen SCID-CID GCEP on the meeting date March 20, 2025 (SOP Version 11).

primordial dwarfism-immunodeficiency-lipodystrophy syndromeSTRONG

Inheritance Pattern: AR

Disease ID:MONDO:0859276

Submitter: G2P

primordial dwarfism-immunodeficiency-lipodystrophy syndromeSTRONG

Inheritance Pattern: AR

Disease ID:MONDO:0859276

Submitter: PanelApp Australia

Clinical Genomic Database (CGD)

Primordial dwarfism-immunodeficiency-lipodystrophy syndromeAR

Manifestation: Allergy/Immunology/Infectious; Craniofacial; Gastrointestinal; Hematologic; Musculoskeletal; Neurologic; Pulmonary

Intervention: Allergy/Immunology/Infectious

Rationale: Among other findings, the condition can include immunodeficiency, and antiinfectious prophylaxis and early and aggressive treatment of infections may be beneficial

Refs: 33060134Source: CGD (NHGRI)

ClinVar Associated Diseases & Phenotypes

Reported disease conditions connected to PRIM1 variants in ClinVar

6 Conditions Cataloged
not specifiedTotal: 42
not providedTotal: 9
Seckel syndromeTotal: 3
Primordial dwarfism-immunodeficiency-lipodystrophy syndromeTotal: 3
EBV-positive nodal T- and NK-cell lymphomaTotal: 1
Premature ovarian failureTotal: 1

ClinVar Variants & Pathogenicity by Type

Statistics based on transcript NM_000946.3. 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.

EffectPLPVUSLBBSum
synonymous
3
clinvar
3
missense
1
clinvar
39
clinvar
5
clinvar
45
nonsense
4
clinvar
4
start loss
0
frameshift
1
clinvar
1
splice donor/acceptor (+/-2bp)
1
clinvar
1
clinvar
4
clinvar
6
Total21488059

Highest pathogenic variant AF is 0.0000027856083

Loading ClinVar variants...

Transcript Catalog

Annotated transcript isoforms across RefSeq and Ensembl databases

Showing 4 of 12 transcripts
Transcript IDSourceProtein IDCoding ExonsMANE Status
NM_000946.3RefSeqNP_000937.113MANE Select
ENST00000338193.11EnsemblENSP00000350491.513MANE Select
ENST00000549549.1EnsemblENSP00000449806.15Standard
ENST00000550770.1EnsemblENSP00000450185.19Standard

Model Organisms & Knockout Phenotypes

Observed phenotypic effects in mouse and zebrafish models

Gene / ModelOrganismObserved Phenotype
prim1Danio rerio

Structure: cranial cartilage

Quality: morphology

abnormal

Gene Ontology (GO) Annotations & Pathways

Biological processes, molecular functions, cellular components and pathways

Pathways ConsensusPathDB

  • Pyrimidine metabolism - Homo sapiens (human)
  • DNA replication - Homo sapiens (human)
  • Purine metabolism - Homo sapiens (human)
  • miR-targeted genes in lymphocytes - TarBase
  • Retinoblastoma (RB) in Cancer

Biological Process

  • G1/S transition of mitotic cell cycle
  • DNA replication, synthesis of RNA primer
  • telomere maintenance via semi-conservative replication

Molecular Function

  • single-stranded DNA binding
  • DNA primase activity
  • metal ion binding

Cellular Component

  • nucleoplasm
  • alpha DNA polymerase:primase complex
  • membrane

gnomAD Constraint

Source: gnomAD

Gene type
protein_coding
Transcript type
protein_coding
Transcript
ENST00000338193
Coding exons
13
Length
20778
Individuals with no LoFs
124653
Homozygous LoFs
0
Heterozygous LoFs
17
Defined
124670
p
0.0000682
Z-ScoreObservedExpectedObserved/ExpectedMutation RateTotal Possible
Missense2.051222040.5970.00001032788
Missense (PolyPhen)2862.3720.44892801
Synonymous0.7415764.60.8830.00000310677
Loss of Function2.67922.80.3950.00000104314

Population LoF Frequency

PopulationCAFp-valueStatus
African00.0absent
Latino/Admixed American0.0000580.000058rare
Ashkenazi Jewish0.000410.00040rare
East Asian0.0000560.000056rare
Finnish0.0000930.000093rare
European (Non-Finnish)0.0000780.000071rare
South Asian00.0absent
Other00.0absent

dbNSFP Gene Annotations

Source: dbNSFP

Function
FUNCTION: DNA primase is the polymerase that synthesizes small RNA primers for the Okazaki fragments made during discontinuous DNA replication.;

Intolerance Scores

LoFtool
0.636
RVIS EVS
0.04
RVIS percentile EVS
56.92

Essentials

Essential (CRISPR)
E
Essential (CRISPR2)
E
Essential (gene trap)
E
Indispensability pred.
E
Indispensability score
0.871

Gene Damage Prediction

AllRecessiveDominant
MendelianMediumMediumMedium
Primary ImmunodeficiencyMediumMediumMedium
CancerMediumMediumMedium
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