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GeneE
7 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
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DRC3
dynein regulatory complex subunit 3
Chromosome 17 · 17p11.2|17p11.2
NCBI Gene: 83450Ensembl: ENSG00000171962.20HGNC: HGNC:25384UniProt: B3KSC6
23PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
protein bindingcytoplasmaxonemesperm flagellumschizophreniaocclusion precerebral arterycoronary artery diseasesmoking cessation
✦AI Summary

DRC3 (dynein regulatory complex subunit 3, also known as LRRC48) is a structural component of the nexin-dynein regulatory complex (N-DRC), a critical regulatory complex located in the axoneme of motile cilia and sperm flagella 1. DRC3 functions to maintain alignment and integrity of the distal axoneme and regulate microtubule sliding in motile axonemes 2. Structurally, DRC3 localizes to the L1 projection of the nexin linker within the N-DRC, where it directly interacts with dynein motors and other N-DRC subunits including DRC1, 2, 4, 5, 7, and 8 2. Loss of DRC3 function causes asthenozoospermia and male infertility; a homozygous frameshift variant (c.644dup) resulting in premature translational arrest eliminates DRC3 protein detection in sperm, destroys flagellar ultrastructure, and severely reduces sperm motility 1. The variant also disrupts DRC3 interactions with other N-DRC components 1. Clinically, DRC3 mutations represent a genetic cause of male infertility affecting approximately 6% of infertile males with oligoasthenoteratozoospermia 3. DRC3 defects result in abnormal sperm tail beating and reduced ATP production 3, making DRC3 mutations important for clinical genetic diagnosis of male infertility.

Sources cited
1
DRC3 homozygous variant causes asthenozoospermia and male infertility through premature translational arrest, with absence of DRC3 protein in sperm and destroyed flagellar ultrastructure
PMID: 38769386
2
DRC3 localizes to the L1 projection of the nexin linker in the N-DRC and interacts directly with dynein motors
PMID: 25564608
3
DRC3 mutations are found in approximately 6.05% of infertile males and cause abnormal sperm tail beating with decreased ATP levels
PMID: 38650655
⚠Limited data available — This gene has 3 indexed publications. Summary and analysis may be incomplete.
Disease Associationsⓘ20
schizophreniaOpen Targets
0.16Weak
occlusion precerebral arteryOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
coronary artery diseaseOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
smoking cessationOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
myocardial infarctionOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
smoking initiationOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
type 2 diabetes mellitusOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
ependymomaOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
ovarian dysfunctionOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
osteoporosisOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
diabetes mellitusOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
Reduced sperm motilityOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
HydrocephalusOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
childhood supratentorial ependymomaOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
male infertilityOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
sinusitisOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
asthmaOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
breast cancerOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
chronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
nasopharyngeal neoplasmOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
RSPH14Shared pathway100%CFAP251Shared pathway100%DYDC1Shared pathway100%DRC10Shared pathway100%DRC8Shared pathway100%RSPH3Shared pathway100%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Ovary
100%
Bone Marrow
65%
Heart
56%
Lung
53%
Liver
52%
Brain
32%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
DRC3RSPH14CFAP251DYDC1DRC10DRC8RSPH3
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
PDB8J07 · 4.10 Å · EM
View on RCSB ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
1.06LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.00Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.81 [0.63–1.06]
RankingsWhere DRC3 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #13,406of 20,598
    Most Researched23
  • #10,597of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)1.06
Genes detectedDRC3
Sources retrieved7 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
7▼
1
Homozygous variant in DRC3 (LRRC48) gene causes asthenozoospermia and male infertility.
PMID: 38769386
J Hum Genet · 2024
1.00
2
Risk Indicators of Urgent and Extensive Dental Treatment Needs in U.S. Air Force Recruits.
PMID: 33128557
Mil Med · 2021
0.86
3
Effects of
PMID: 38650655
Hum Reprod Open · 2024
0.71
4
DRC3 is an assembly adapter of the nexin-dynein regulatory complex functional components during spermatogenesis in humans and mice.
PMID: 36627292
Signal Transduct Target Ther · 2023
0.57
5
In situ localization of N and C termini of subunits of the flagellar nexin-dynein regulatory complex (N-DRC) using SNAP tag and cryo-electron tomography.
PMID: 25564608
J Biol Chem · 2015
0.43