# RPL5

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/rpl5/  
OnCo record `rpl5` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

RPL5 (Large ribosomal subunit protein uL18) is a gene whose normal job is to hold cell growth in check. The public catalogues list it as a drug target, an oncogene driver and a tumour suppressor, and clinical evidence ties its variants to diagnosis, prognosis or drug response. Tied to Leukaemia, Myeloproliferative neoplasms, Skin cancer and 4 more.

## Summary

Component of the ribosome, a large ribonucleoprotein complex responsible for the synthesis of proteins in the cell. The small ribosomal subunit (SSU) binds messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and translates the encoded message by selecting cognate aminoacyl-transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules. The large subunit (LSU) contains the ribosomal catalytic site termed the peptidyl transferase centre (PTC), which catalyses the formation of peptide bonds, thereby polymerising the amino acids delivered by tRNAs into a polypeptide chain.

Open Targets scores its association with cancer at 0.76 (direct and indirect evidence; datatypes clinical 0.11, genetic literature 0.76, literature 0.95, genetic association 0.37, somatic mutation 0.86, animal model 0.26). IntOGen calls it a driver in 4 cohorts (1 activating, 3 loss-of-function), covering Glioblastoma Multiforme, Lung Adenocarcinoma, Melanoma.

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: ribosomal protein L5; Large ribosomal subunit protein uL18; L5; PPP1R135; uL18
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: RPL5
- Class: tumor-suppressor
- Biology: Component of the ribosome, a large ribonucleoprotein complex responsible for the synthesis of proteins in the cell. The small ribosomal subunit (SSU) binds messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and translates the encoded message by selecting cognate aminoacyl-transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules. The large subunit (LSU) contains the ribosomal catalytic site termed the peptidyl transferase centre (PTC), which catalyses the formation of peptide bonds, thereby polymerising the amino acids delivered by tRNAs into a polypeptide chain. The nascent polypeptides leave the ribosome through a tunnel in the LSU and interact with protein factors that function in enzymatic processing, targeting, and the membrane insertion of nascent chains at the exit of the ribosomal tunnel. As part of the 5S RNP/5S ribonucleoprotein particle it is an essential component of the LSU, required for its formation and the maturation of rRNAs. It also couples ribosome biogenesis to p53/TP53 activation. Location: Cytoplasm; Nucleus, nucleolus (UniProt). Locus 1p22.1 (HGNC).
- Where found: Leukaemia: Open Targets association 0.61 with leukaemia (MONDO_0005059); Myeloproliferative neoplasms: Open Targets association 0.54 with myeloproliferative neoplasm (MONDO_0020076); Skin cancer: Open Targets association 0.51 with skin cancer (MONDO_0002898); Melanoma: Open Targets association 0.58 with melanoma (MONDO_0005105); IntOGen driver in 2 cohorts (MEL); Glioma & glioblastoma: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (GBM); 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: Open Targets known-drug datatype score 0.12; IntOGen calls it an activating (Act) driver in 1 cohort; IntOGen calls it a loss-of-function (LoF) driver in 3 cohorts. Evidence tier "clinical-evidence" is the strongest of those signals.
- Prevalence not recorded: none of the sources gives a positivity rate.

## Sources

- HGNC HGNC:10360: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:10360
- UniProt P46777: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/P46777/entry
- NCBI Gene 6125: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/6125
- Ensembl ENSG00000122406: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000122406

## Connected records

- collections: [IntOGen](https://onco.cc/collections/intogen/), [Open Targets Platform](https://onco.cc/collections/open-targets/)
- cancers: [Acute myeloid leukaemia](https://onco.cc/cancers/aml/), [Glioma & glioblastoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/glioblastoma/), [Leukaemia (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/leukaemia/), [Melanoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/melanoma/), [Myeloproliferative neoplasms (PV, ET, myelofibrosis)](https://onco.cc/cancers/myeloproliferative-neoplasms/), [Non-small-cell lung cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/nsclc/), [Skin cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/skin-cancer/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/rpl5.json