# PER3

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/per3/  
OnCo record `per3` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

PER3 (Period circadian protein homolog 3) is a gene that drives cell growth when it is altered. The public catalogues list it as an oncogene driver, and it is called a cancer driver by mutation analysis of patient cohorts. Tied to Non-small-cell lung cancer.

## Summary

Originally described as a core component of the circadian clock. The circadian clock, an internal time-keeping system, regulates various physiological processes through the generation of approximately 24 hour circadian rhythms in gene expression, which are translated into rhythms in metabolism and behaviour. It is derived from the Latin roots 'circa' (about) and 'diem' (day) and acts as an important regulator of a wide array of physiological functions including metabolism, sleep, body temperature, blood pressure, endocrine, immune, cardiovascular, and renal function.

IntOGen calls it a driver in 1 cohort (1 activating, 0 loss-of-function), covering Lung Adenocarcinoma.

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: period circadian regulator 3; Period circadian protein homolog 3
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: PER3
- Class: oncogene
- Biology: Originally described as a core component of the circadian clock. The circadian clock, an internal time-keeping system, regulates various physiological processes through the generation of approximately 24 hour circadian rhythms in gene expression, which are translated into rhythms in metabolism and behaviour. It is derived from the Latin roots 'circa' (about) and 'diem' (day) and acts as an important regulator of a wide array of physiological functions including metabolism, sleep, body temperature, blood pressure, endocrine, immune, cardiovascular, and renal function. Consists of two major components: the central clock, residing in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the brain, and the peripheral clocks that are present in nearly every tissue and organ system. Both the central and peripheral clocks can be reset by environmental cues, also known as Zeitgebers (German for 'timegivers'). The predominant Zeitgeber for the central clock is light, which is sensed by retina and signals directly to the SCN. Location: Cytoplasm; Nucleus (UniProt). Locus 1p36.23 (HGNC).
- Where found: Non-small-cell lung cancer: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (LUAD)

## 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 1 cohort. Evidence tier "cohort-driver" is the strongest of those signals.
- Prevalence not recorded: none of the sources gives a positivity rate.

## Sources

- HGNC HGNC:8847: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:8847
- UniProt P56645: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/P56645/entry
- NCBI Gene 8863: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/8863
- Ensembl ENSG00000049246: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000049246

## Connected records

- collections: [IntOGen](https://onco.cc/collections/intogen/)
- cancers: [Non-small-cell lung cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/nsclc/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/per3.json