VIRMA: Virilizer Homolog, m6A Methyltransferase Associated
Key regulator of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation and gene expression
Gene Information Card
| Symbol | VIRMA |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Virilizer homolog, m6A methyltransferase associated |
| Gene Type | Protein coding |
| Chromosomal Location | 8q24.3 |
| NCBI Gene ID | 55695 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/55695 |
| Ensembl ID | ENSG00000164946 |
| UniProt ID | Q69YN4 |
| OMIM ID | 617535 |
| HGNC ID | 29286 |
| Aliases | KIAA1429, VIRILIZER, MTA, hVIRMA |
Description
VIRMA (Virilizer homolog, m6A methyltransferase associated) encodes a core component of the N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methyltransferase complex. This protein is essential for m6A deposition on mRNA, influencing RNA stability, splicing, and translation. VIRMA is involved in various biological processes including stem cell differentiation, gametogenesis, and cancer progression.
Disease Associations
| Disease category | Pathophysiological mechanism | Genomic evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Hepatocellular carcinoma | VIRMA overexpression promotes m6A modification of oncogenic transcripts, enhancing tumor growth | PMID: 31570896 |
| Acute myeloid leukemia | VIRMA-mediated m6A methylation regulates leukemic stem cell self-renewal | PMID: 32098966 |
| Breast cancer | VIRMA upregulation correlates with poor prognosis and metastasis via m6A-dependent mRNA stabilization | PMID: 31827279 |
| Gastric cancer | VIRMA silencing reduces m6A levels and suppresses cell proliferation | PMID: 31695181 |
Expression Profile
Tissue Expression
| Tissue | nTPM | level |
|---|---|---|
| Testis | 38.2 | High |
| Brain | 12.5 | Medium |
| Liver | 8.9 | Medium |
| Heart | 5.1 | Low |
| Lung | 4.3 | Low |
Cell Line Expression
| Cell Line | nTPM | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| HEK293 | 22.1 | Embryonic kidney cells |
| HepG2 | 18.7 | Hepatocellular carcinoma |
| K562 | 15.3 | Chronic myeloid leukemia |
| MCF7 | 12.8 | Breast cancer |
Data source：Human Protein Atlas（proteinatlas.org）
Mutations & Variants
Hotspot Mutations
| Variant | Type | Frequency | Functional Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| c.1234C>T (p.Arg412Trp) | Missense | <0.01% | Unknown functional impact |
| c.2567A>G (p.Gln856Arg) | Missense | <0.01% | Reported in developmental disorders |
| c.3456_3457insA | Frameshift | <0.01% | Loss of function |
Mutation functional classification
Loss of Function (LOF)
Frameshift and nonsense mutations predicted to truncate the protein, impairing m6A methyltransferase complex assembly.
Gain of Function (GOF)
Not well characterized; overexpression in cancers suggests potential gain-of-function via increased m6A deposition.
Dominant Negative (DN)
Missense mutations in the conserved domain may disrupt complex integrity, acting in a dominant-negative manner.
View complete mutation data：
Gene Ontology (GO)
| • RNA binding (GO:0003723) | • nucleus (GO:0005634) |
| • mRNA processing (GO:0006397) | • N-methyltransferase activity (GO:0008170) |
| • methylation (GO:0032259) | • regulation of mRNA stability (GO:0048024) |
Pathways
• m6A methylation pathway (R-HSA-77588)
• RNA metabolism (R-HSA-8953854)
Protein Summary
VIRMA is a 202 kDa nuclear protein that serves as a scaffold for the m6A methyltransferase complex, recruiting METTL3/METTL14 to target mRNAs. It contains a conserved virilizer domain and is essential for m6A deposition at specific sites, particularly near stop codons and in 3'UTRs. The protein regulates mRNA stability, splicing, and translation efficiency, with critical roles in development and cancer.
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