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10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 15 days ago
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HERC3
HECT and RLD domain containing E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 3
Chromosome 4 · 4q22.1
NCBI Gene: 8916Ensembl: ENSG00000138641.20HGNC: HGNC:4876UniProt: B4DK41
36PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
cytosolprotein bindingubiquitin protein ligase activityubiquitin-dependent protein catabolic processcolorectal carcinomaneoplasmposterior cortical atrophycancer
✦AI Summary

HERC3 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that plays diverse regulatory roles in cellular processes through both enzymatic and non-enzymatic mechanisms 1. The protein functions primarily in protein quality control and degradation pathways, including ER-associated degradation (ERAD) where it recognizes exposed membrane-spanning domains of misfolded proteins like CFTR 2. HERC3 mediates ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of multiple substrates including RPL23A, EIF5A2, SMAD7, and MM1, thereby regulating cell proliferation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, autophagy, and senescence 3456. Remarkably, HERC3 can also function independently of its ligase activity, as demonstrated in NF-κB regulation where it forms complexes with ubiquilin-1 and the proteasome to facilitate RelA degradation 7. Similarly, HERC3 promotes YAP/TAZ stability by binding β-TrCP and blocking YAP/TAZ ubiquitination without requiring enzymatic activity 8. Clinically, HERC3 shows tumor suppressor activity in colorectal cancer and glioblastoma, with downregulation associated with poor prognosis 35. The protein localizes to cytosol and vesicular structures and is itself regulated by ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation 1.

Sources cited
1
HERC3 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that interacts with ubiquitin and is regulated by proteasomal degradation
PMID: 11163799
2
HERC3 mediates ERAD by recognizing exposed membrane-spanning domains of misfolded proteins like CFTR
PMID: 38722278
3
HERC3 ubiquitinates RPL23A for degradation and regulates colorectal cancer cell proliferation and cell cycle
PMID: 35637966
4
HERC3 inhibits metastasis by ubiquitinating EIF5A2 and regulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition
PMID: 35064108
5
HERC3 promotes autophagy-induced EMT by ubiquitinating SMAD7 in glioblastoma
PMID: 30862693
6
HERC3 mediates ubiquitination of MM1 and regulates cell senescence
PMID: 29880857
7
HERC3 regulates NF-κB activity independently of its enzymatic activity by facilitating RelA degradation
PMID: 26476452
8
HERC3 promotes YAP/TAZ stability independently of its ubiquitin ligase activity by blocking β-TrCP interaction
PMID: 36598329
Disease Associationsⓘ20
colorectal carcinomaOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
neoplasmOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
posterior cortical atrophyOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
cancerOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
colorectal cancerOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
retinal degenerationOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
glioblastomaOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
autoimmune diseaseOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
lumbar disc degenerationOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
metastatic neoplasmOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
osteosarcomaOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
breast cancerOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
hepatocellular carcinomaOpen Targets
0.00Suggestive
breast carcinomaOpen Targets
0.00Suggestive
head and neck squamous cell carcinomaOpen Targets
0.00Suggestive
infectionOpen Targets
0.00Suggestive
leukemiaOpen Targets
0.00Suggestive
prostate cancerOpen Targets
0.00Suggestive
strokeOpen Targets
0.00Suggestive
retinopathyOpen Targets
0.00Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
RNF148Shared pathway100%RNF149Shared pathway100%RNF215Shared pathway100%RNF217Shared pathway100%ARK2NShared pathway100%RNF151Shared pathway100%
Tissue Expression4 tissues
Bone Marrow
0%
Liver
0%
Ovary
0%
Lung
0%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
HERC3RNF148RNF149RNF215RNF217ARK2NRNF151
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
AlphaFoldAI-predicted · UniProt Q15034
View on AlphaFold ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
0.44Moderately Constrained
pLIⓘ
1.00Intolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.32 [0.23–0.44]
RankingsWhere HERC3 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #10,790of 20,598
    Most Researched36
  • #2,401of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)0.44 · top quartile
Genes detectedHERC3
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
HERC3 facilitates ERAD of select membrane proteins by recognizing membrane-spanning domains.
PMID: 38722278
J Cell Biol · 2024
1.00
2
HERC3 directly targets RPL23A for ubiquitination degradation and further regulates Colorectal Cancer proliferation and the cell cycle.
PMID: 35637966
Int J Biol Sci · 2022
0.90
3
HERC3 regulates epithelial-mesenchymal transition by directly ubiquitination degradation EIF5A2 and inhibits metastasis of colorectal cancer.
PMID: 35064108
Cell Death Dis · 2022
0.80
4
HERC3 promotes YAP/TAZ stability and tumorigenesis independently of its ubiquitin ligase activity.
PMID: 36598329
EMBO J · 2023
0.70
5
HERC3 binding to and regulation by ubiquitin.
PMID: 11163799
FEBS Lett · 2001
0.60