UTP20 is a nucleolar protein and essential component of the small subunit (SSU) processome, a massive ribonucleoprotein complex required for ribosomal biogenesis 1. As part of the U3 snoRNA protein complex, UTP20 coordinates 18S pre-rRNA processing and maturation through association with U3 snoRNA and fibrillarin 1. The protein functions as a trans-acting UTP (t-UTP) that activates RNA polymerase I transcription of ribosomal DNA by interacting with UBF and the nucleolar acetyltransferase hALP, promoting UBF acetylation and subsequent rDNA transcription 2. Beyond its canonical ribosomal function, UTP20 exhibits significant disease relevance. Elevated UTP20 expression correlates with poor prognosis in glioma, where it functions as an oncogenic driver promoting cell proliferation and invasion 3. In colon cancer, UTP20 acts as a downstream effector of HMMR, enhancing cell proliferation and migration through mTOR signaling pathway activation 4. Additionally, UTP20 variants were identified as susceptibility loci for early-onset ischemic stroke in Japanese populations 5, and UTP20 showed differential expression in Candida albicans biofilms associated with root caries 6. These findings indicate that UTP20 dysregulation contributes to multiple pathological conditions beyond normal ribosome biogenesis.