KIF2A Gene

HGNC Family	Kinesins (KIF)
Name	kinesin heavy chain member 2A
Description	The protein encoded by this gene is a plus end-directed motor required for normal mitotic progression. The encoded protein is required for normal spindle activity during mitosis and is necessary for normal brain development. Several transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been found for this gene. [provided by RefSeq, Sep 2011]
Summary	{"type": "root", "children": [{"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n KIF2A, a member of the kinesin‐13 family of microtubule depolymerases, is emerging as a pivotal regulator of microtubule dynamics in diverse biological contexts. In mitosis, KIF2A promotes spindle assembly, facilitates chromosome congression and segregation, and helps maintain proper spindle microtubule organization through its depolymerizing activity. This function is modulated by phosphorylation events mediated by kinases such as Plk1 and Aurora A, as well as by regulatory complexes like the MLL complex that control its spindle localization."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "1"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " Moreover, phosphorylation by TTBK2 further regulates KIF2A’s activity to antagonize microtubule depolymerization at plus ends, thereby impacting cell migration."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "3"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n In the nervous system, KIF2A plays essential roles in neuronal morphogenesis. Loss of KIF2A function in developing neurons leads to aberrant axonal branching due to diminished microtubule depolymerization at growth cones"}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "4"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": ", and it is also critical for axonal pruning by executing microtubule disassembly."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "5"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " Altered expression of KIF2A is linked to imbalances in anterograde transport in affected brain regions, which may contribute to neurodegenerative processes."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "6"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n In the context of cancer, aberrant overexpression of KIF2A has been associated with enhanced tumor cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, as well as resistance to apoptosis. Various studies have demonstrated that high KIF2A levels correlate with poor prognosis in breast"}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "7"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": ", ovarian"}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "8"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": ", and lung adenocarcinoma"}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "9"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "models. Furthermore, the involvement of KIF2A in modulating key signaling pathways such as PI3K/Akt suggests that its dysregulation may drive tumor progression and represents a promising target for therapeutic intervention."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "10"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n Collectively, these findings highlight KIF2A as a central modulator of microtubule behavior with crucial functions in mitosis and neuronal development, and they implicate its aberrant expression in cancer progression. As such, KIF2A not only provides a mechanistic link between microtubule dynamics and cellular function but also stands out as a potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target in oncology.\n "}]}, {"type": "rg", "children": [{"type": "r", "ref": 1, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Chang-Young Jang, Judith A Coppinger, Akiko Seki, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Plk1 and Aurora A regulate the depolymerase activity and the cellular localization of Kif2a."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "J Cell Sci (2009)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1242/jcs.044321"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1242/jcs.044321"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "19351716"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19351716"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 2, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Aamir Ali, Sailaja Naga Veeranki, Akash Chinchole, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "MLL/WDR5 Complex Regulates Kif2A Localization to Ensure Chromosome Congression and Proper Spindle Assembly during Mitosis."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Dev Cell (2017)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1016/j.devcel.2017.05.023"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2017.05.023"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "28633016"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28633016"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 3, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Takashi Watanabe, Mai Kakeno, Toshinori Matsui, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "TTBK2 with EB1/3 regulates microtubule dynamics in migrating cells through KIF2A phosphorylation."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "J Cell Biol (2015)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1083/jcb.201412075"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201412075"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "26323690"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26323690"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 4, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Noriko Homma, Yosuke Takei, Yosuke Tanaka, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Kinesin superfamily protein 2A (KIF2A) functions in suppression of collateral branch extension."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Cell (2003)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1016/s0092-8674(03)00522-1"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/s0092-8674(03"}, {"type": "t", "text": "00522-1) PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "12887924"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12887924"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 5, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Maya Maor-Nof, Noriko Homma, Calanit Raanan, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Axonal pruning is actively regulated by the microtubule-destabilizing protein kinesin superfamily protein 2A."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Cell Rep (2013)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1016/j.celrep.2013.03.005"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2013.03.005"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "23562155"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23562155"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 6, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Chee Yeun Chung, James B Koprich, Hasan Siddiqi, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Dynamic changes in presynaptic and axonal transport proteins combined with striatal neuroinflammation precede dopaminergic neuronal loss in a rat model of AAV alpha-synucleinopathy."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "J Neurosci (2009)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5427-08.2009"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5427-08.2009"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "19295143"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19295143"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 7, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Jianli Wang, Siqin Ma, Rong Ma, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "KIF2A silencing inhibits the proliferation and migration of breast cancer cells and correlates with unfavorable prognosis in breast cancer."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "BMC Cancer (2014)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1186/1471-2407-14-461"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2407-14-461"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "24950762"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24950762"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 8, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Nan Sheng, Yun-Zhao Xu, Qing-Hua Xi, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Overexpression of KIF2A is Suppressed by miR-206 and Associated with Poor Prognosis in Ovarian Cancer."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Cell Physiol Biochem (2018)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1159/000494467"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1159/000494467"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "30352438"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30352438"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 9, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Tian Xie, Xingyu Li, Fei Ye, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "High KIF2A expression promotes proliferation, migration and predicts poor prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Biochem Biophys Res Commun (2018)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.02.020"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.02.020"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "29427669"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29427669"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 10, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Ketao Wang, Changlong Lin, Chengqin Wang, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Silencing Kif2a induces apoptosis in squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue through inhibition of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Mol Med Rep (2014)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.3892/mmr.2013.1804"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2013.1804"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "24248467"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24248467"}]}]}]}
Synonyms	KIF2, CDCBM3
Proteins	KIF2A_HUMAN
NCBI Gene ID	3796
API
Download Associations
Predicted Functions
Co-expressed Genes
Expression in Tissues and Cell Lines

Functional Associations

KIF2A has 7,535 functional associations with biological entities spanning 9 categories (molecular profile, organism, disease, phenotype or trait, chemical, functional term, phrase or reference, structural feature, cell line, cell type or tissue, gene, protein or microRNA, sequence feature) extracted from 126 datasets.

Click the + buttons to view associations for KIF2A from the datasets below.

If available, associations are ranked by standardized value

Harmonizome 3.0

KIF2A Gene

Functional Associations

Please acknowledge the Harmonizome in your publications by citing the following reference(s):

	Dataset	Summary
	Allen Brain Atlas Adult Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles	tissues with high or low expression of KIF2A gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Adult Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	Allen Brain Atlas Adult Mouse Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles	tissues with high or low expression of KIF2A gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Adult Mouse Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by Microarray	tissue samples with high or low expression of KIF2A gene relative to other tissue samples from the Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by Microarray dataset.
	Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by RNA-seq	tissue samples with high or low expression of KIF2A gene relative to other tissue samples from the Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by RNA-seq dataset.
	Allen Brain Atlas Prenatal Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles	tissues with high or low expression of KIF2A gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Prenatal Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	BioGPS Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles	cell lines with high or low expression of KIF2A gene relative to other cell lines from the BioGPS Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	BioGPS Human Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles	cell types and tissues with high or low expression of KIF2A gene relative to other cell types and tissues from the BioGPS Human Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	BioGPS Mouse Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles	cell types and tissues with high or low expression of KIF2A gene relative to other cell types and tissues from the BioGPS Mouse Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	CCLE Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles	cell lines with high or low copy number of KIF2A gene relative to other cell lines from the CCLE Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset.
	CCLE Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles	cell lines with high or low expression of KIF2A gene relative to other cell lines from the CCLE Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	CCLE Cell Line Proteomics	Cell lines associated with KIF2A protein from the CCLE Cell Line Proteomics dataset.
	ChEA Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles	transcription factor binding site profiles with transcription factor binding evidence at the promoter of KIF2A gene from the CHEA Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset.
	ChEA Transcription Factor Targets	transcription factors binding the promoter of KIF2A gene in low- or high-throughput transcription factor functional studies from the CHEA Transcription Factor Targets dataset.
	ChEA Transcription Factor Targets 2022	transcription factors binding the promoter of KIF2A gene in low- or high-throughput transcription factor functional studies from the CHEA Transcription Factor Targets 2022 dataset.
	ClinVar Gene-Phenotype Associations	phenotypes associated with KIF2A gene from the curated ClinVar Gene-Phenotype Associations dataset.
	CMAP Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Small Molecules	small molecule perturbations changing expression of KIF2A gene from the CMAP Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Small Molecules dataset.
	COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores	cellular components containing KIF2A protein from the COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores dataset.
	COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025	cellular components containing KIF2A protein from the COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 dataset.
	COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores	cellular components co-occuring with KIF2A protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores dataset.
	COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025	cellular components co-occuring with KIF2A protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 dataset.
	COSMIC Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles	cell lines with KIF2A gene mutations from the COSMIC Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles dataset.
	CTD Gene-Chemical Interactions	chemicals interacting with KIF2A gene/protein from the curated CTD Gene-Chemical Interactions dataset.
	CTD Gene-Disease Associations	diseases associated with KIF2A gene/protein from the curated CTD Gene-Disease Associations dataset.
	DepMap CRISPR Gene Dependency	cell lines with fitness changed by KIF2A gene knockdown relative to other cell lines from the DepMap CRISPR Gene Dependency dataset.
	DISEASES Curated Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores 2025	diseases involving KIF2A gene from the DISEASES Curated Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores 2025 dataset.
	DISEASES Experimental Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores 2025	diseases associated with KIF2A gene in GWAS datasets from the DISEASES Experimental Gene-Disease Assocation Evidence Scores 2025 dataset.
	DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores	diseases co-occuring with KIF2A gene in abstracts of biomedical publications from the DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Assocation Evidence Scores dataset.
	DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores 2025	diseases co-occuring with KIF2A gene in abstracts of biomedical publications from the DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Assocation Evidence Scores 2025 dataset.
	DisGeNET Gene-Disease Associations	diseases associated with KIF2A gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the DisGeNET Gene-Disease Associations dataset.
	DisGeNET Gene-Phenotype Associations	phenotypes associated with KIF2A gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the DisGeNET Gene-Phenoptype Associations dataset.
	ENCODE Histone Modification Site Profiles	histone modification site profiles with high histone modification abundance at KIF2A gene from the ENCODE Histone Modification Site Profiles dataset.
	ENCODE Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles	transcription factor binding site profiles with transcription factor binding evidence at the promoter of KIF2A gene from the ENCODE Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset.
	ENCODE Transcription Factor Targets	transcription factors binding the promoter of KIF2A gene in ChIP-seq datasets from the ENCODE Transcription Factor Targets dataset.
	ESCAPE Omics Signatures of Genes and Proteins for Stem Cells	PubMedIDs of publications reporting gene signatures containing KIF2A from the ESCAPE Omics Signatures of Genes and Proteins for Stem Cells dataset.
	GAD Gene-Disease Associations	diseases associated with KIF2A gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the GAD Gene-Disease Associations dataset.
	GAD High Level Gene-Disease Associations	diseases associated with KIF2A gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the GAD High Level Gene-Disease Associations dataset.
	GDSC Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles	cell lines with high or low expression of KIF2A gene relative to other cell lines from the GDSC Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	GeneRIF Biological Term Annotations	biological terms co-occuring with KIF2A gene in literature-supported statements describing functions of genes from the GeneRIF Biological Term Annotations dataset.
	GeneSigDB Published Gene Signatures	PubMedIDs of publications reporting gene signatures containing KIF2A from the GeneSigDB Published Gene Signatures dataset.
	GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Diseases	disease perturbations changing expression of KIF2A gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Diseases dataset.