# WWTR1

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/wwtr1/  
OnCo record `wwtr1` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

WWTR1 (WW domain-containing transcription regulator protein 1) 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 Ovarian cancer, Breast cancer and Skin cancer.

## Summary

Transcriptional coactivator which acts as a downstream regulatory target in the Hippo signalling pathway that plays a pivotal role in organ size control and tumour suppression by restricting proliferation and promoting apoptosis. The core of this pathway is composed of a kinase cascade wherein STK3/MST2 and STK4/MST1, in complex with its regulatory protein SAV1, phosphorylates and activates LATS1/2 in complex with its regulatory protein MOB1, which in turn phosphorylates and inactivates YAP1 oncoprotein and WWTR1/TAZ. WWTR1 enhances PAX8 and NKX2-1/TTF1-dependent gene activation.

Open Targets scores its association with cancer at 0.65 (direct and indirect evidence; datatypes affected pathway 0.25, literature 0.99, genetic association 0.00, somatic mutation 0.98, animal model 0.53). IntOGen calls it a driver in 1 cohort (1 activating, 0 loss-of-function), covering Ovarian Epithelial Tumour.

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: WW domain containing transcription regulator 1; WW domain-containing transcription regulator protein 1; DKFZp586I1419
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: WWTR1
- Class: oncogene
- Biology: Transcriptional coactivator which acts as a downstream regulatory target in the Hippo signalling pathway that plays a pivotal role in organ size control and tumour suppression by restricting proliferation and promoting apoptosis. The core of this pathway is composed of a kinase cascade wherein STK3/MST2 and STK4/MST1, in complex with its regulatory protein SAV1, phosphorylates and activates LATS1/2 in complex with its regulatory protein MOB1, which in turn phosphorylates and inactivates YAP1 oncoprotein and WWTR1/TAZ. WWTR1 enhances PAX8 and NKX2-1/TTF1-dependent gene activation. In conjunction with YAP1, involved in the regulation of TGFB1-dependent SMAD2 and SMAD3 nuclear accumulation. Plays a key role in coupling SMADs to the transcriptional machinery such as the mediator complex. Regulates embryonic stem-cell self-renewal, promotes cell proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Location: Nucleus; Cytoplasm; Cell membrane; Cell junction, tight junction (UniProt). Locus 3q25.1 (HGNC).
- Where found: Ovarian cancer: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (OVT); Breast cancer: Open Targets association 0.55 with breast cancer (MONDO_0007254); 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 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:24042: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:24042
- UniProt Q9GZV5: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/Q9GZV5/entry
- NCBI Gene 25937: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/25937
- Ensembl ENSG00000018408: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000018408

## Connected records

- collections: [IntOGen](https://onco.cc/collections/intogen/), [Open Targets Platform](https://onco.cc/collections/open-targets/)
- cancers: [Breast cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/breast-cancer/), [Ovarian cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/ovarian/), [Skin cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/skin-cancer/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/wwtr1.json