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10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
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DCAF11
DDB1 and CUL4 associated factor 11
Chromosome 14 · 14q12
NCBI Gene: 80344Ensembl: ENSG00000100897.19HGNC: HGNC:20258UniProt: B3KSW2
61PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
protein bindingnucleoplasmCul4-RING E3 ubiquitin ligase complexproteasome-mediated ubiquitin-dependent protein catabolic processalpha thalassemia-intellectual disability syndrome type 1Alpha-thalassemia - intellectual disability syndrome linked to chromosome 16primary familial polycythemia due to EPO receptor mutationPyruvate kinase hyperactivity
✦AI Summary

DCAF11 is a substrate receptor for the CUL4-DDB1 E3 ubiquitin ligase complex that mediates proteasomal degradation of diverse protein substrates. DCAF11 functions as a component of the CRL4 (Cullin4-RING) E3 ligase, where it directs substrate specificity through protein-protein interactions 1. Mechanistically, DCAF11 recognizes and targets proteins for polyubiquitination, leading to proteasome-mediated degradation 2. Clinically relevant substrates include CENP-A (centromeric protein A), whose phosphorylation-dependent degradation by DCAF11 prevents ectopic localization during the cell cycle 2; p21Cip1, a CDK inhibitor whose degradation regulates cell cycle progression 1; Kap1, whose degradation activates Zscan4-mediated telomere lengthening in embryos and stem cells 3; and Nrf2, where DCAF11 contributes to redox homeostasis regulation 4. DCAF11 is emerging as a therapeutically important E3 ligase for targeted protein degradation approaches. Recent studies demonstrate that small-molecule degraders can recruit DCAF11 to eliminate disease-relevant proteins, including BRD4, showing potent antitumor activity in preclinical models 56. DCAF11 appears particularly suitable for targeted protein degradation due to its promiscuous substrate interactions and high occupancy in E3 ligase complexes 7.

Sources cited
1
DCAF11 targets Kap1 for ubiquitin-mediated degradation to activate Zscan4 and enable telomere lengthening in embryos and ESCs
PMID: 33357405
2
DCAF11 is a component of the CRL4DCAF11 E3 ubiquitin ligase that regulates Nrf2 stability and redox homeostasis
PMID: 39875264
3
DCAF11 is identified as a 'frequent hitter' E3 ligase capable of supporting targeted protein degradation in screening platforms
PMID: 39870762
4
DCAF11 specifically mediates phosphorylation-dependent polyubiquitination and degradation of CENP-A during mitosis
PMID: 34758320
5
Cysteine-reactive small molecules can specify BRD4 degradation through DCAF11 engagement
PMID: 37767920
6
BRD4 degradation by DCAF11-based PROTACs is mediated through the ubiquitin-proteasome system with therapeutic antitumor activity
PMID: 39475482
7
DCAF11 is a substrate receptor of the CRL4BDCAF11 complex that ubiquitinates p21Cip1 to regulate cell cycle progression
PMID: 28446751
8
DCAF11 serves as the E3 ligase for monovalent direct degraders of BRD4, demonstrating in vivo antitumor activity
PMID: 38907538
Disease Associationsⓘ20
alpha thalassemia-intellectual disability syndrome type 1Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
Alpha-thalassemia - intellectual disability syndrome linked to chromosome 16Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
primary familial polycythemia due to EPO receptor mutationOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
Pyruvate kinase hyperactivityOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
osteosarcomaOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
macrothrombocytopenia, isolated, 2, autosomal dominantOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
Blackfan-Diamond anemiaOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
hemolytic anemia due to diphosphoglycerate mutase deficiencyOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
erythrocytosis, familial, 6Open Targets
0.05Suggestive
erythrocytosis, familial, 3Open Targets
0.05Suggestive
Hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin - beta-thalassemiaOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin-sickle cell disease syndromeOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
delta-beta-thalassemiaOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
ThrombocytopeniaOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
thrombocytopenia 4Open Targets
0.04Suggestive
erythrocytosis, familial, 4Open Targets
0.04Suggestive
cancerOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
Congenital bile acid synthesis defect type 4Open Targets
0.03Suggestive
infectionOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
diabetes mellitusOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
ERCC8Protein interaction99%CDKN1BProtein interaction99%COPS5Protein interaction98%DDB1Protein interaction98%DDB2Protein interaction98%GPS1Protein interaction98%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Liver
100%
Bone Marrow
41%
Heart
37%
Brain
34%
Lung
23%
Ovary
23%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
DCAF11ERCC8CDKN1BCOPS5DDB1DDB2GPS1
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
AlphaFoldAI-predicted · UniProt Q59GN6
View on AlphaFold ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
0.73LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.00Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.57 [0.45–0.73]
RankingsWhere DCAF11 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #7,545of 20,598
    Most Researched61
  • #5,644of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)0.73
Genes detectedDCAF11
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
Dcaf11 activates Zscan4-mediated alternative telomere lengthening in early embryos and embryonic stem cells.
PMID: 33357405
Cell Stem Cell · 2021
1.00
2
Regulating Nrf2 activity: ubiquitin ligases and signaling molecules in redox homeostasis.
PMID: 39875264
Trends Biochem Sci · 2025
0.90
3
Implications of frequent hitter E3 ligases in targeted protein degradation screens.
PMID: 39870762
Nat Chem Biol · 2025
0.80
4
Phosphorylation at Ser68 facilitates DCAF11-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of CENP-A during the cell cycle.
PMID: 34758320
Cell Rep · 2021
0.70
5
Chemical Specification of E3 Ubiquitin Ligase Engagement by Cysteine-Reactive Chemistry.
PMID: 37767920
J Am Chem Soc · 2023
0.60