Biological Functions and Molecular Mechanisms of MORC2 in Human Diseases

Xin Zhao; Jinfeng Miao

doi:10.1016/j.mocell.2024.100166

Biological Functions and Molecular Mechanisms of MORC2 in Human Diseases

Mol Cells. 2024 Dec 3:100166. doi: 10.1016/j.mocell.2024.100166. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Xin Zhao¹, Jinfeng Miao²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China. Electronic address: 2018tj5452@hust.edu.cn.
² Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.

PMID: 39637946
DOI: 10.1016/j.mocell.2024.100166

Abstract

Microrchidia family CW-type zinc finger 2 (MORC2) is a nuclear protein that has been highly conserved throughout evolution. MORC2 consists of an ATPase domain at the N-terminus, a CW-type zinc-finger domain in the middle and coiled-coil domains at the C-terminus. MORC2 is involved in various important biological processes such as transcriptional regulation, chromatin remodeling, DNA damage repair, and metabolism. Recent studies suggest that MORC2 may serve as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for hereditary neurological diseases and cancers. However, the exact molecular functions and pathogenic mechanisms of MORC2 in human diseases remain to be explored. In this review, we provide an overview of recent advancements in understanding the molecular functions of MORC2, as well as the characteristics and mechanisms of MORC2-related diseases, which will be valuable for future studies.

Keywords: Chromatin remodeling; DNA repair; MORC2; Metabolism; Transcriptional gene silencing.

Publication types

Review