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10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
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LSM4
LSM4 homolog, U6 small nuclear RNA and mRNA degradation associated
Chromosome 19 · 19p13.11
NCBI Gene: 25804Ensembl: ENSG00000130520.11HGNC: HGNC:17259UniProt: Q9Y4Z0
102PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
FUNCTIONAL ROLE
Hub Gene
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
RNA bindingnucleuscytosolcytoplasmneurodegenerative diseasemetabolic syndromehypertensionessential hypertension
✦AI Summary

LSM4 is an RNA-binding protein that functions as a core component of the spliceosome and mRNA decay machinery. As part of the heptameric LSM2-8 complex, LSM4 binds specifically to the 3'-terminal U-tract of U6 snRNA and participates in U4/U6-U5 tri-snRNP complex assembly and spliceosomal B complex formation, essential for pre-mRNA splicing 1. Beyond splicing, LSM4 localizes to P-bodies where its C-terminal RGG domain, when symmetrically dimethylated at arginine residues by PRMT5, promotes processing body formation and mRNA decay 23. This posttranslational modification enhances LSM4 binding to the SMN protein, facilitating tri-snRNP biogenesis 3. LSM4 also exhibits moonlighting functions in cell volume regulation through plasma membrane association and interaction with ICln 4. Under physiological conditions, LSM4 undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation in vitro, suggesting involvement in RNA processing organization 5. Clinically, LSM4 dysregulation associates with cancer pathogenesis: reduced LSM4 expression correlates with abnormal spermatogenesis, elevated LSM4 levels are observed in breast cancer and non-small cell lung cancer with poor prognostic implications, and LSM4 upregulation in melanoma correlates with reduced overall survival 6789.

Sources cited
1
LSM4 is a component of the U4/U6-U5 tri-snRNP complex and precatalytic spliceosome (B complex) involved in pre-mRNA splicing
PMID: 28781166
2
LSM4's C-terminal RGG domain promotes processing body formation when arginines are symmetrically dimethylated by PRMT5
PMID: 27247266
3
LSM4 undergoes symmetric arginine dimethylation, which is essential for binding to SMN protein and affects snRNP assembly and mRNA decay functions
PMID: 11720283
4
LSM4 associates with the plasma membrane and acts as a co-factor in cell volume regulation through interaction with ICln
PMID: 19088440
5
Full-length human LSM4 protein undergoes concentration-dependent liquid-liquid phase separation in vitro
PMID: 36976747
6
Downregulation of LSM4 expression is associated with abnormal spermatogenesis; LSM proteins are crucial for reproductive development
PMID: 40139411
7
LSM4 is upregulated in breast cancer tissues and is associated with cancer progression and poor prognosis
PMID: 34341433
8
LSM4 expression is enhanced by SF3B4 and promotes non-small cell lung cancer cell growth, metastasis, and stemness
PMID: 38462740
9
LSM4 mRNA overexpression is significantly correlated with poor overall survival in skin cutaneous melanoma patients
PMID: 36371223
Disease Associationsⓘ20
neurodegenerative diseaseOpen Targets
0.52Moderate
metabolic syndromeOpen Targets
0.26Weak
hypertensionOpen Targets
0.20Weak
essential hypertensionOpen Targets
0.18Weak
cardiac arrhythmiaOpen Targets
0.17Weak
obstructive sleep apneaOpen Targets
0.14Weak
Varicose veinsOpen Targets
0.14Weak
esophageal diseaseOpen Targets
0.14Weak
post-traumatic stress disorderOpen Targets
0.10Suggestive
hepatocellular carcinomaOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
triple-negative breast cancerOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
breast cancerOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
intelligenceOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
neoplasmOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
non-small cell lung carcinomaOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
gastroesophageal reflux diseaseOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
cancerOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
hypothyroidismOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
breast neoplasmOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
Mantle cell lymphomaOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
CLNS1AProtein interaction100%DDX6Protein interaction100%SMN1Protein interaction100%SNRNP70Protein interaction100%PRMT5Protein interaction100%SNRNP27Protein interaction100%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Liver
100%
Brain
68%
Bone Marrow
67%
Lung
59%
Heart
51%
Ovary
43%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
LSM4CLNS1ADDX6SMN1SNRNP70PRMT5SNRNP27
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
PDB8H6L · 2.60 Å · EM
View on RCSB ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
1.03LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.00Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.67 [0.45–1.03]
RankingsWhere LSM4 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #4,679of 20,598
    Most Researched102 · top quartile
  • #10,113of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)1.03
Genes detectedLSM4
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
[Phase Separation of Purified Human LSM4 Protein].
PMID: 36976747
Mol Biol (Mosk) · 2023
1.00
2
The RNA-binding protein LSM family regulating reproductive development via different RNA metabolism.
PMID: 40139411
Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis · 2025
0.90
3
CENPL, ISG20L2, LSM4, MRPL3 are four novel hub genes and may serve as diagnostic and prognostic markers in breast cancer.
PMID: 34341433
Sci Rep · 2021
0.80
4
Symmetrical dimethylation of arginine residues in spliceosomal Sm protein B/B' and the Sm-like protein LSm4, and their interaction with the SMN protein.
PMID: 11720283
RNA · 2001
0.70
5
LSm4 associates with the plasma membrane and acts as a co-factor in cell volume regulation.
PMID: 19088440
Cell Physiol Biochem · 2008
0.60