# MRTFA

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

## TL;DR

MRTFA (Myocardin-related transcription factor A) is a protein that switches other genes on and off. The public catalogues list it as a fusion partner, and the evidence so far is association rather than a proven role. Tied to Breast cancer, Skin cancer, Lung cancer and 1 more.

## Summary

Transcription coactivator that associates with the serum response factor (SRF) transcription factor to control expression of genes regulating the cytoskeleton during development, morphogenesis and cell migration. The SRF-MRTFA complex activity responds to Rho GTPase-induced changes in cellular globular actin (G-actin) concentration, thereby coupling cytoskeletal gene expression to cytoskeletal dynamics. MRTFA binds G-actin via its RPEL repeats, regulating activity of the MRTFA-SRF complex.

Open Targets scores its association with cancer at 0.71 (direct and indirect evidence; datatypes literature 0.97, genetic association 0.52, somatic mutation 0.98).

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: myocardin related transcription factor A; Myocardin-related transcription factor A; KIAA1438; MRTF-A; MKL1
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: MRTFA
- Class: transcription
- Biology: Transcription coactivator that associates with the serum response factor (SRF) transcription factor to control expression of genes regulating the cytoskeleton during development, morphogenesis and cell migration. The SRF-MRTFA complex activity responds to Rho GTPase-induced changes in cellular globular actin (G-actin) concentration, thereby coupling cytoskeletal gene expression to cytoskeletal dynamics. MRTFA binds G-actin via its RPEL repeats, regulating activity of the MRTFA-SRF complex. Activity is also regulated by filamentous actin (F-actin) in the nucleus. Location: Cytoplasm; Nucleus (UniProt). Locus 22q13.1-q13.2 (HGNC).
- Where found: Breast cancer: Open Targets association 0.62 with breast cancer (MONDO_0007254); Skin cancer: Open Targets association 0.54 with skin cancer (MONDO_0002898); Lung cancer: Open Targets association 0.52 with lung cancer (MONDO_0008903); Melanoma: Open Targets association 0.51 with melanoma (MONDO_0005105)

## 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: UniProt disease notes describe a translocation or gene fusion involving the gene. Evidence tier "association-only" is the strongest of those signals.
- Prevalence not recorded: none of the sources gives a positivity rate.

## Sources

- HGNC HGNC:14334: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:14334
- UniProt Q969V6: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/Q969V6/entry
- NCBI Gene 57591: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/57591
- Ensembl ENSG00000196588: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000196588

## Connected records

- collections: [Open Targets Platform](https://onco.cc/collections/open-targets/)
- cancers: [Breast cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/breast-cancer/), [Lung cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/lung-cancer/), [Melanoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/melanoma/), [Skin cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/skin-cancer/)

---
JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/mrtfa.json