# SUZ12

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/suz12/  
OnCo record `suz12` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

SUZ12 (Polycomb protein SUZ12) is a protein that switches other genes on and off. The public catalogues list it as an oncogene driver, a tumour suppressor and a fusion partner, and it is called a cancer driver by mutation analysis of patient cohorts. Tied to Leukaemia, Breast cancer, Prostate cancer and 4 more.

## Summary

Polycomb group (PcG) protein. Component of the PRC2 complex, which methylates 'Lys-9' (H3K9me) and 'Lys-27' (H3K27me) of histone H3, leading to transcriptional repression of the affected target gene. The PRC2 complex may also serve as a recruiting platform for DNA methyltransferases, thereby linking two epigenetic repression systems.

Open Targets scores its association with cancer at 0.79 (direct and indirect evidence; datatypes affected pathway 0.72, literature 0.94, genetic association 0.02, somatic mutation 0.89, animal model 0.54). IntOGen calls it a driver in 4 cohorts (2 activating, 2 loss-of-function), covering Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, Prostate Adenocarcinoma, Sarcoma, NOS.

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: SUZ12 polycomb repressive complex 2 subunit; Polycomb protein SUZ12; JJAZ1; KIAA0160; CHET9
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: SUZ12
- Class: transcription
- Biology: Polycomb group (PcG) protein. Component of the PRC2 complex, which methylates 'Lys-9' (H3K9me) and 'Lys-27' (H3K27me) of histone H3, leading to transcriptional repression of the affected target gene. The PRC2 complex may also serve as a recruiting platform for DNA methyltransferases, thereby linking two epigenetic repression systems. Genes repressed by the PRC2 complex include HOXC8, HOXA9, MYT1 and CDKN2A. Location: Nucleus (UniProt). Locus 17q11.2 (HGNC).
- Where found: Leukaemia: Open Targets association 0.61 with leukaemia (MONDO_0005059); Breast cancer: Open Targets association 0.61 with breast cancer (MONDO_0007254); Prostate cancer: Open Targets association 0.51 with prostate cancer (MONDO_0008315); IntOGen driver in 2 cohorts (PRAD); Sarcomas: Open Targets association 0.53 with sarcoma (MONDO_0005089); IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (SARCNOS); Non-Hodgkin lymphoma: Open Targets association 0.52 with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (MONDO_0018908); Skin cancer: Open Targets association 0.52 with skin cancer (MONDO_0002898)

## 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 2 cohorts; IntOGen calls it a loss-of-function (LoF) driver in 2 cohorts; UniProt disease notes describe a translocation or gene fusion involving the gene. Evidence tier "cohort-driver" is the strongest of those signals.
- Prevalence not recorded: none of the sources gives a positivity rate.

## Sources

- HGNC HGNC:17101: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:17101
- UniProt Q15022: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/Q15022/entry
- NCBI Gene 23512: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/23512
- Ensembl ENSG00000178691: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000178691

## 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/), [Breast cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/breast-cancer/), [Leukaemia (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/leukaemia/), [Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/non-hodgkin-lymphoma/), [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/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/suz12.json