# MECOM

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/mecom/  
OnCo record `mecom` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

MECOM (Histone-lysine N-methyltransferase MECOM) is a protein that switches other genes on and off. The public catalogues list it as an oncogene driver, a tumour suppressor, a biomarker and a fusion partner, and clinical evidence ties its variants to diagnosis, prognosis or drug response. Tied to Breast cancer, Prostate cancer, Endometrial cancer and 5 more.

## Summary

Functions as a transcriptional regulator binding to DNA sequences in the promoter region of target genes and regulating positively or negatively their expression. Oncogene which plays a role in development, cell proliferation and differentiation. May also play a role in apoptosis through regulation of the JNK and TGF-beta signalling.

CIViC holds 5 clinical evidence items and 1 assertion across 3 variants. Open Targets scores its association with cancer at 0.75 (direct and indirect evidence; datatypes affected pathway 0.26, literature 0.99, genetic association 0.63, somatic mutation 0.80, animal model 0.50). IntOGen calls it a driver in 6 cohorts (3 activating, 3 loss-of-function), covering Invasive Breast Carcinoma, Melanoma, Prostate Adenocarcinoma, Endometrial Carcinoma.

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: MDS1 and EVI1 complex locus; Histone-lysine N-methyltransferase MECOM; MDS1-EVI1; PRDM3; KMT8E; MDS1; EVI1
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: MECOM
- Class: transcription
- Biology: Functions as a transcriptional regulator binding to DNA sequences in the promoter region of target genes and regulating positively or negatively their expression. Oncogene which plays a role in development, cell proliferation and differentiation. May also play a role in apoptosis through regulation of the JNK and TGF-beta signalling. Involved in haematopoiesis. Displays histone methyltransferase activity and monomethylates 'Lys-9' of histone H3 (H3K9me1). Probably catalyses the monomethylation of free histone H3 in the cytoplasm which is then transported to the nucleus and incorporated into nucleosomes where SUV39H methyltransferases use it as a substrate to catalyse histone H3 'Lys-9' trimethylation. Location: Nucleus; Nucleus speckle; Cytoplasm (UniProt). Locus 3q26.2 (HGNC).
- Where found: Breast cancer: Open Targets association 0.59 with breast cancer (MONDO_0007254); IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (BRCA); Prostate cancer: Open Targets association 0.54 with prostate cancer (MONDO_0008315); IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (PRAD); Endometrial cancer: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (UCEC); Skin cancer: Open Targets association 0.57 with skin cancer (MONDO_0002898); Lung cancer: Open Targets association 0.54 with lung cancer (MONDO_0008903); Ovarian cancer: Open Targets association 0.51 with ovarian cancer (MONDO_0008170)

## Notes

- Written by scripts/fetch-cancer-genes.ts from CIViC, Open Targets, IntOGen, HGNC and UniProt; the function text is UniProt's, condensed and in UK spelling. Roles: IntOGen calls it an activating (Act) driver in 3 cohorts; IntOGen calls it a loss-of-function (LoF) driver in 3 cohorts; CIViC holds 5 clinical evidence items on its variants; UniProt disease notes describe a translocation or gene fusion involving the gene. Evidence tier "clinical-evidence" is the strongest of those signals.
- Prevalence not recorded: none of the sources gives a positivity rate.
- Diseases the sources name that have no OnCo cancer page yet, so they are not linked: Acute Myeloid Leukaemia With MECOM Rearrangement.

## Sources

- HGNC HGNC:3498: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:3498
- UniProt Q03112: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/Q03112/entry
- NCBI Gene 2122: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/2122
- Ensembl ENSG00000085276: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000085276

## Connected records

- collections: [CIViC](https://onco.cc/collections/civic/), [IntOGen](https://onco.cc/collections/intogen/), [Open Targets Platform](https://onco.cc/collections/open-targets/)
- cancers: [Acute myeloid leukaemia](https://onco.cc/cancers/aml/), [Breast cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/breast-cancer/), [Endometrial cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/endometrial/), [Lung cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/lung-cancer/), [Melanoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/melanoma/), [Ovarian cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/ovarian/), [Prostate cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/prostate/), [Skin cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/skin-cancer/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/mecom.json