Mortality factor 4-like protein 1 (MORF4L1)

Mortality factor 4-like protein 1 (MORF4L1, also known as MRG15) is a nuclear chromatin remodeling factor and member of the MORF/MRG protein family, characterized by a C-terminal MRG domain and N-terminal chromodomain[3][1]. It participates in multi-protein complexes such as NuA4 histone acetyltransferase, Sin3/HDAC repressor, and MAF (MRG15-associated factor) complexes. MORF4L1 is involved in both gene activation (by promoting histone H4/H2A acetylation) and repression (as part of SIN3B/HDAC complexes), allowing it to control diverse transcriptional programs that regulate cell cycle progression, DNA repair, apoptosis, and senescence[1][2][3]. MORF4L1 stimulates homologous recombination DNA repair—interacting with BRCA2, PALB2, and RAD51—and has proven roles in limiting cell proliferation, migration and invasion, chiefly through upregulating tumor suppressors p21 and E-cadherin[2]. Downregulation or promoter hypermethylation of MORF4L1 is observed in multiple cancers (including nasopharyngeal carcinoma), correlating with loss of its tumor suppressive effects. Despite its important regulatory functions, as of now there are no known drugs that specifically target MORF4L1, and it is not considered a canonical therapeutic target[1][2][3].

Other names

MRG15FWP006HSPC008HSPC061PP368MORFRG15HsT17725Eaf3MEAF3Esa1p-associated factor 3 homologMSL3-1transcription factor-like protein MRG15mortality factor 4-like protein 1