SIRT1 Gene: Structure, Function, and Clinical Significance

A comprehensive overview of the SIRT1 gene, its protein product, associated diseases, expression patterns, and mutations.

Gene Information Card

Symbol SIRT1
Full Name Sirtuin 1
Gene Type protein coding
Chromosomal Location 10q21.3
NCBI Gene ID 23411 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/23411
Ensembl ID ENSG00000096717
UniProt ID Q96EB6
OMIM ID 604479
HGNC ID 14929
Aliases SIR2L1, hSIR2, SIR2, hSIRT1, SIR2alpha

Description

The SIRT1 gene encodes sirtuin 1, a NAD+-dependent class III histone deacetylase that regulates a wide range of cellular processes including metabolism, stress response, apoptosis, inflammation, and circadian rhythm. It deacetylates both histone and non-histone substrates, such as p53, FOXO, and PGC-1α, thereby influencing gene expression and cellular homeostasis. SIRT1 is implicated in aging, metabolic disorders, cancer, and neurodegeneration.

Disease Associations

Disease category Pathophysiological mechanism Genomic evidence
Type 2 Diabetes SIRT1 regulates insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism via deacetylation of PGC-1α and FOXO; reduced SIRT1 activity is associated with insulin resistance. Multiple studies, e.g., PMID: 21884946
Alzheimer's Disease SIRT1 deacetylates tau and APP, reducing amyloid-beta accumulation and tau phosphorylation; overexpression is neuroprotective. PMID: 20072129
Cancer (various) SIRT1 can act as a tumor suppressor or oncogene depending on context; it deacetylates p53 and NF-κB, affecting apoptosis and inflammation. COSMIC and literature, e.g., PMID: 23382044
Cardiovascular Disease SIRT1 protects against cardiac hypertrophy and ischemia-reperfusion injury via deacetylation of eNOS and FOXO. PMID: 19520835
Inflammatory Diseases SIRT1 inhibits NF-κB signaling, reducing pro-inflammatory cytokine production; dysregulation contributes to chronic inflammation. PMID: 20075857

Expression Profile

Tissue Expression
Tissue nTPM level
Brain 8.9 Medium
Heart 6.2 Low
Liver 10.5 Medium
Kidney 7.8 Medium
Testis 12.3 High
Skeletal Muscle 5.4 Low
Cell Line Expression
Cell Line nTPM Notes
HeLa 9.8 Cervical cancer cell line; moderate expression
HepG2 11.2 Hepatocellular carcinoma; high expression
MCF7 7.5 Breast cancer; moderate expression
A549 6.9 Lung carcinoma; moderate expression
SH-SY5Y 8.1 Neuroblastoma; moderate expression
Data source:Human Protein Atlas(proteinatlas.org)

Mutations & Variants

Hotspot Mutations
Variant Type Frequency Functional Description
c.1043C>T (p.Thr348Met) Missense 0.01% (gnomAD) Reduced deacetylase activity; associated with metabolic syndrome
c.1484A>G (p.Tyr495Cys) Missense 0.005% Impaired substrate binding; potential loss-of-function
c.1397G>A (p.Arg466His) Missense 0.002% Altered catalytic activity; reported in cancer samples
c.−196C>T (promoter) Regulatory 5% (population) Affects promoter activity; linked to obesity risk
Mutation functional classification

Loss of Function (LOF)

Mutations that reduce or abolish SIRT1 deacetylase activity, leading to increased acetylation of substrates like p53 and FOXO, affecting apoptosis and metabolism.

Gain of Function (GOF)

Rare mutations that enhance SIRT1 activity, potentially promoting cell survival and metabolic efficiency; not well-documented.

Dominant Negative (DN)

Mutations that produce a defective SIRT1 protein that interferes with wild-type function, often by dimerization; not commonly reported.

Gene Ontology (GO)

• NAD+ binding • histone deacetylase activity
• protein deacetylase activity • zinc ion binding
• transcription coregulator activity • chromatin binding
• protein homodimerization activity

Pathways

Longevity regulating pathway
AMPK signaling pathway
FoxO signaling pathway
p53 signaling pathway
Circadian rhythm
Metabolic pathways

Protein Summary

SIRT1 is a 747-amino acid protein with a conserved sirtuin core domain that binds NAD+ and catalyzes deacetylation of lysine residues. It localizes predominantly to the nucleus but can shuttle to the cytoplasm. SIRT1 interacts with numerous transcription factors and co-regulators, modulating stress responses, energy metabolism, and inflammation. Its activity is regulated by post-translational modifications, cellular NAD+ levels, and small molecule activators like resveratrol.

Related Products

Product name Cat.No. Species Gene ID
SIRT1 Knockout HEK293 Cell Line EDJ-KQ1128 Human 23411 Details Get a Quote
SIRT1 Knockout A-549 Cell Line EDJ-KQ20328 Human 23411 Details Get a Quote
SIRT1 Knockout HCT 116 Cell Line EDJ-KQ20329 Human 23411 Details Get a Quote
SIRT1 Knockout HeLa Cell Line EDJ-KQ20330 Human 23411 Details Get a Quote
Displaying Records 1 To 4 Of 4 Records
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