# MSH6

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/msh6/  
OnCo record `msh6` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

MSH6 (DNA mismatch repair protein Msh6) is a gene. The public catalogues list it as a drug target, a biomarker and a DNA repair gene, and clinical evidence ties its variants to diagnosis, prognosis or drug response. Tied to Colorectal cancer, Endometrial cancer, Ovarian cancer and 5 more.

## Summary

Component of the post-replicative DNA mismatch repair system (MMR). Heterodimerises with MSH2 to form MutS alpha, which binds to DNA mismatches thereby initiating DNA repair. When bound, MutS alpha bends the DNA helix and shields approximately 20 base pairs, and recognises single base mismatches and dinucleotide insertion-deletion loops (IDL) in the DNA.

CIViC holds 7 clinical evidence items and 0 assertions across 7 variants, naming Durvalumab and Anti-PD-1 Monoclonal Antibody MEDI0680. Open Targets scores its association with cancer at 0.93 (direct and indirect evidence; datatypes genetic literature 0.91, affected pathway 0.61, literature 0.97, genetic association 0.96, somatic mutation 0.96, animal model 0.42). In OnCo, 1 product record names it (VENTANA MMR RxDx Panel).

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: mutS homolog 6; DNA mismatch repair protein Msh6; MSH-6
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: MSH6
- Class: other
- Biology: Component of the post-replicative DNA mismatch repair system (MMR). Heterodimerises with MSH2 to form MutS alpha, which binds to DNA mismatches thereby initiating DNA repair. When bound, MutS alpha bends the DNA helix and shields approximately 20 base pairs, and recognises single base mismatches and dinucleotide insertion-deletion loops (IDL) in the DNA. After mismatch binding, forms a ternary complex with the MutL alpha heterodimer, which is thought to be responsible for directing the downstream MMR events, including strand discrimination, excision, and resynthesis. ATP binding and hydrolysis play a pivotal role in mismatch repair functions. The ATPase activity associated with MutS alpha regulates binding similar to a molecular switch: mismatched DNA provokes ADP-->ATP exchange, resulting in a discernible conformational transition that converts MutS alpha into a sliding clamp capable of hydrolysis-independent diffusion along the DNA backbone. Location: Nucleus; Chromosome (UniProt). Locus 2p16.3 (HGNC).
- Where found: Colorectal cancer: Open Targets association 0.92 with colorectal cancer (MONDO_0005575); CIViC evidence names this disease; Endometrial cancer: Open Targets association 0.87 with endometrial cancer (MONDO_0011962); CIViC evidence names this disease; Ovarian cancer: Open Targets association 0.76 with ovarian cancer (MONDO_0008170); Breast cancer: Open Targets association 0.67 with breast cancer (MONDO_0007254); Gastric & gastro-oesophageal junction cancer: Open Targets association 0.67 with gastric cancer (MONDO_0001056); Prostate cancer: Open Targets association 0.60 with prostate cancer (MONDO_0008315)

## 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: CIViC lists 2 therapies; CIViC holds 7 clinical evidence items on its variants; UniProt keyword "DNA repair". 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: Transitional Cell Carcinoma.

## Sources

- HGNC HGNC:7329: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:7329
- UniProt P52701: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/P52701/entry
- NCBI Gene 2956: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/2956
- Ensembl ENSG00000116062: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000116062

## Connected records

- collections: [CIViC](https://onco.cc/collections/civic/), [Open Targets Platform](https://onco.cc/collections/open-targets/)
- cancers: [Breast cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/breast-cancer/), [Colorectal cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/colorectal/), [Endometrial cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/endometrial/), [Gastric & gastro-oesophageal junction cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/gastric/), [Ovarian cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/ovarian/), [Prostate cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/prostate/), [Sarcomas (soft tissue, bone, GIST)](https://onco.cc/cancers/sarcoma/), [Skin cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/skin-cancer/)
- drugs: [VENTANA MMR RxDx Panel](https://onco.cc/drugs/ventana-mmr-rxdx/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/msh6.json