Transmembrane protein 14C pseudogene

The transmembrane protein 14C pseudogene (ENSG00000234271, LOC107985380) is a **processed pseudogene** related to the TMEM14C protein-coding gene. As a pseudogene, it does **not encode a functional protein** and is not considered a receptor, enzyme, transporter, or valid therapeutic target. Pseudogenes are genomic DNA sequences similar to normal genes but are non-functional; they may arise from duplication or retrotransposition events and typically lack coding capacity due to frameshifts or other disruptions[1][2]. Although some pseudogenes can generate non-coding RNAs with possible regulatory effects, there is no direct evidence that ENSG00000234271 produces such functional RNAs, nor that it has a role in human disease or therapy[1][2][3][5]. Pseudogenes like this one are distinguished from functional genes by the presence of mutations, truncations, or lack of regulatory elements required for producing a stable, functional protein[1][2]. There is emerging literature suggesting some pseudogenes can act as RNA-level regulators (for example, as competing endogenous RNAs or siRNA sources), but no such function is established for this particular pseudogene, and the majority are considered non-functional[3][5]. This entity is **not a conventional target for drug discovery or biomedical intervention** and should be excluded from therapeutic target lists.

Other names

LOC107985380ENSG00000234271TMEM14C pseudogene