| Name | transmembrane protein 120A |
| Description | Enables coenzyme A binding activity. Involved in antiviral innate immune response; fat cell differentiation; and protein complex oligomerization. Located in endoplasmic reticulum and plasma membrane. [provided by Alliance of Genome Resources, Mar 2025] |
| Summary |
{"type": "root", "children": [{"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\nTMEM120A, also known as TACAN, is a highly conserved membrane protein whose structural characterization has challenged its initial designation as a mechanosensitive ion channel mediating mechanical pain. The single-particle cryo-electron microscopy structure of human TMEM120A reveals that it forms a tightly packed dimer stabilized by an N-terminal coiled coil domain, a C-terminal transmembrane domain composed of six helices arranged into an α‐barrel with a deep pocket that binds coenzyme A, and a re‐entrant loop. Notably, structural similarities to very long‐chain fatty acid elongases have been observed, suggesting a potential enzymatic role in fatty acid metabolism rather than a classical channel function."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "1"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n\n"}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\nIn addition to its structural complexities, TMEM120A has been implicated in the host antiviral response against Zika virus (ZIKV) infection. Functional studies using overexpression and genetic knockout models demonstrate that elevated levels of TMEM120A restrict ZIKV replication, whereas its reduction enhances viral infection. Mechanistically, TMEM120A interacts with the adaptor protein STING, promoting its translocation from the endoplasmic reticulum to the ER-Golgi intermediate compartment, thereby potentiating downstream phosphorylation events involving TBK1 and IRF3. This cascade results in the upregulation of antiviral cytokines and interferon-stimulated genes, marking TMEM120A as a critical activator of STING-dependent antiviral signaling."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "2"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n\n"}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\nFurther insights into TMEM120A, referred to as hTACAN in some studies, underscore its ion channel-like features, although its precise role in mechanosensation remains under investigation. Cryo-EM analyses show that hTACAN assembles as a dimer in which each protomer contains a transmembrane globular domain with a putative ion conduction pore, as supported by molecular dynamics simulations. A key residue, Met207, proves essential for modulating membrane pressure-activated currents, with its mutation greatly enhancing these conductances. Additionally, the binding of a cholesterol molecule to each subunit may influence the structural and functional dynamics of the channel, which in the wild-type state appears to be closed."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "3"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n"}]}, {"type": "rg", "children": [{"type": "r", "ref": 1, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Jing Xue, Yan Han, Hamid Baniasadi, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "TMEM120A is a coenzyme A-binding membrane protein with structural similarities to ELOVL fatty acid elongase."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Elife (2021)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.7554/eLife.71220"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.71220"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "34374645"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34374645"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 2, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Shuo Li, Nianchao Qian, Chao Jiang, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Gain-of-function genetic screening identifies the antiviral function of TMEM120A via STING activation."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Nat Commun (2022)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1038/s41467-021-27670-1"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-27670-1"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "35013224"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35013224"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 3, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Xiaozhe Chen, Yaojie Wang, Yang Li, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Cryo-EM structure of the human TACAN in a closed state."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Cell Rep (2022)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110445"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110445"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "35235791"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35235791"}]}]}]}
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| Synonyms | NET29, TMPIT |
| Proteins | T120A_HUMAN |
| NCBI Gene ID | 83862 |
| API | |
| Download Associations | |
| Predicted Functions |
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| Co-expressed Genes |
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| Expression in Tissues and Cell Lines |
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TMEM120A has 4,417 functional associations with biological entities spanning 9 categories (molecular profile, organism, functional term, phrase or reference, chemical, disease, phenotype or trait, structural feature, cell line, cell type or tissue, gene, protein or microRNA, sequence feature) extracted from 82 datasets.
Click the + buttons to view associations for TMEM120A from the datasets below.
If available, associations are ranked by standardized value
| Dataset | Summary | |
|---|---|---|
| Allen Brain Atlas Adult Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of TMEM120A 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 TMEM120A gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Adult Mouse Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| Allen Brain Atlas Aging Dementia and Traumatic Brain Injury Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles | tissue samples with high or low expression of TMEM120A gene relative to other tissue samples from the Allen Brain Atlas Aging Dementia and Traumatic Brain Injury Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by Microarray | tissue samples with high or low expression of TMEM120A gene relative to other tissue samples from the Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by Microarray dataset. | |
| Allen Brain Atlas Prenatal Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of TMEM120A gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Prenatal Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| BioGPS Human Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | cell types and tissues with high or low expression of TMEM120A 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 TMEM120A 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 TMEM120A 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 TMEM120A gene relative to other cell lines from the CCLE Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| CCLE Cell Line Proteomics | Cell lines associated with TMEM120A 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 TMEM120A gene from the CHEA Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset. | |
| ChEA Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors binding the promoter of TMEM120A 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 TMEM120A gene in low- or high-throughput transcription factor functional studies from the CHEA Transcription Factor Targets 2022 dataset. | |
| CM4AI KOLF21J CRISPRi Gene Perturbation Atlas | gene perturbations changing expression of TMEM120A gene from the CM4AI KOLF21J CRISPRi Gene Perturbation Atlas dataset. | |
| COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores | cellular components containing TMEM120A protein from the COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores dataset. | |
| COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 | cellular components containing TMEM120A protein from the COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 | cellular components co-occuring with TMEM120A protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| COSMIC Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles | cell lines with high or low copy number of TMEM120A gene relative to other cell lines from the COSMIC Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset. | |
| CTD Gene-Chemical Interactions | chemicals interacting with TMEM120A gene/protein from the curated CTD Gene-Chemical Interactions dataset. | |
| CTD Gene-Disease Associations | diseases associated with TMEM120A gene/protein from the curated CTD Gene-Disease Associations dataset. | |
| DeepCoverMOA Drug Mechanisms of Action | small molecule perturbations with high or low expression of TMEM120A protein relative to other small molecule perturbations from the DeepCoverMOA Drug Mechanisms of Action dataset. | |
| DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores 2025 | diseases co-occuring with TMEM120A gene in abstracts of biomedical publications from the DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Assocation Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| ENCODE Histone Modification Site Profiles | histone modification site profiles with high histone modification abundance at TMEM120A 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 TMEM120A gene from the ENCODE Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset. | |
| ENCODE Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors binding the promoter of TMEM120A 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 TMEM120A from the ESCAPE Omics Signatures of Genes and Proteins for Stem Cells dataset. | |
| GeneSigDB Published Gene Signatures | PubMedIDs of publications reporting gene signatures containing TMEM120A from the GeneSigDB Published Gene Signatures dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Diseases | disease perturbations changing expression of TMEM120A gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Diseases dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations | gene perturbations changing expression of TMEM120A gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Kinase Perturbations | kinase perturbations changing expression of TMEM120A gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Kinase Perturbations dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Small Molecules | small molecule perturbations changing expression of TMEM120A gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Small Molecules dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Transcription Factor Perturbations | transcription factor perturbations changing expression of TMEM120A gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Transcription Factor Perturbations dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Viral Infections | virus perturbations changing expression of TMEM120A gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Viral Infections dataset. | |
| GO Biological Process Annotations 2015 | biological processes involving TMEM120A gene from the curated GO Biological Process Annotations 2015 dataset. | |
| GO Biological Process Annotations 2023 | biological processes involving TMEM120A gene from the curated GO Biological Process Annotations 2023 dataset. | |
| GO Biological Process Annotations 2025 | biological processes involving TMEM120A gene from the curated GO Biological Process Annotations2025 dataset. | |
| GO Cellular Component Annotations 2015 | cellular components containing TMEM120A protein from the curated GO Cellular Component Annotations 2015 dataset. | |
| GO Molecular Function Annotations 2015 | molecular functions performed by TMEM120A gene from the curated GO Molecular Function Annotations 2015 dataset. | |
| GO Molecular Function Annotations 2023 | molecular functions performed by TMEM120A gene from the curated GO Molecular Function Annotations 2023 dataset. | |
| GO Molecular Function Annotations 2025 | molecular functions performed by TMEM120A gene from the curated GO Molecular Function Annotations 2025 dataset. | |
| GTEx eQTL 2025 | SNPs regulating expression of TMEM120A gene from the GTEx eQTL 2025 dataset. | |
| GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of TMEM120A gene relative to other tissues from the GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles 2023 | tissues with high or low expression of TMEM120A gene relative to other tissues from the GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles 2023 dataset. | |
| GTEx Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles | tissue samples with high or low expression of TMEM120A gene relative to other tissue samples from the GTEx Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| GTEx Tissue-Specific Aging Signatures | tissue samples with high or low expression of TMEM120A gene relative to other tissue samples from the GTEx Tissue-Specific Aging Signatures dataset. | |
| GWAS Catalog SNP-Phenotype Associations 2025 | phenotypes associated with TMEM120A gene in GWAS datasets from the GWAS Catalog SNP-Phenotype Associations 2025 dataset. | |
| Heiser et al., PNAS, 2011 Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles | cell lines with high or low expression of TMEM120A gene relative to other cell lines from the Heiser et al., PNAS, 2011 Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| HPM Cell Type and Tissue Protein Expression Profiles | cell types and tissues with high or low expression of TMEM120A protein relative to other cell types and tissues from the HPM Cell Type and Tissue Protein Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| InterPro Predicted Protein Domain Annotations | protein domains predicted for TMEM120A protein from the InterPro Predicted Protein Domain Annotations dataset. | |
| JASPAR Predicted Human Transcription Factor Targets 2025 | transcription factors regulating expression of TMEM120A gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the JASPAR Predicted Human Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| JASPAR Predicted Mouse Transcription Factor Targets 2025 | transcription factors regulating expression of TMEM120A gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the JASPAR Predicted Mouse Transcription Factor Targets 2025 dataset. | |
| JASPAR Predicted Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors regulating expression of TMEM120A gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the JASPAR Predicted Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles | cell lines with high or low copy number of TMEM120A gene relative to other cell lines from the Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset. | |
| Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles | cell lines with high or low expression of TMEM120A gene relative to other cell lines from the Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles | cell lines with TMEM120A gene mutations from the Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles dataset. | |
| KnockTF Gene Expression Profiles with Transcription Factor Perturbations | transcription factor perturbations changing expression of TMEM120A gene from the KnockTF Gene Expression Profiles with Transcription Factor Perturbations dataset. | |
| LOCATE Predicted Protein Localization Annotations | cellular components predicted to contain TMEM120A protein from the LOCATE Predicted Protein Localization Annotations dataset. | |
| MiRTarBase microRNA Targets | microRNAs targeting TMEM120A gene in low- or high-throughput microRNA targeting studies from the MiRTarBase microRNA Targets dataset. | |
| MotifMap Predicted Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors regulating expression of TMEM120A gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the MotifMap Predicted Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| MoTrPAC Rat Endurance Exercise Training | tissue samples with high or low expression of TMEM120A gene relative to other tissue samples from the MoTrPAC Rat Endurance Exercise Training dataset. | |
| MSigDB Cancer Gene Co-expression Modules | co-expressed genes for TMEM120A from the MSigDB Cancer Gene Co-expression Modules dataset. | |
| NIBR DRUG-seq U2OS MoA Box Gene Expression Profiles | drug perturbations changing expression of TMEM120A gene from the NIBR DRUG-seq U2OS MoA Box dataset. | |
| Pathway Commons Protein-Protein Interactions | interacting proteins for TMEM120A from the Pathway Commons Protein-Protein Interactions dataset. | |
| PerturbAtlas Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations | gene perturbations changing expression of TMEM120A gene from the PerturbAtlas Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations dataset. | |
| PerturbAtlas Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Mouse Gene Perturbations | gene perturbations changing expression of TMEM120A gene from the PerturbAtlas Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations dataset. | |
| Replogle et al., Cell, 2022 K562 Essential Perturb-seq Gene Perturbation Signatures | gene perturbations changing expression of TMEM120A gene from the Replogle et al., Cell, 2022 K562 Essential Perturb-seq Gene Perturbation Signatures dataset. | |
| Replogle et al., Cell, 2022 RPE1 Essential Perturb-seq Gene Perturbation Signatures | gene perturbations changing expression of TMEM120A gene from the Replogle et al., Cell, 2022 RPE1 Essential Perturb-seq Gene Perturbation Signatures dataset. | |
| Roadmap Epigenomics Cell and Tissue DNA Methylation Profiles | cell types and tissues with high or low DNA methylation of TMEM120A gene relative to other cell types and tissues from the Roadmap Epigenomics Cell and Tissue DNA Methylation Profiles dataset. | |
| Roadmap Epigenomics Histone Modification Site Profiles | histone modification site profiles with high histone modification abundance at TMEM120A gene from the Roadmap Epigenomics Histone Modification Site Profiles dataset. | |
| Rummagene Transcription Factor Associations 2026 | transcription factors regulating expression of TMEM120A gene from the Rummagene Transcription Factor Associations 2026 dataset. | |
| RummaGEO Drug Perturbation Signatures | drug perturbations changing expression of TMEM120A gene from the RummaGEO Drug Perturbation Signatures dataset. | |
| RummaGEO Gene Perturbation Signatures | gene perturbations changing expression of TMEM120A gene from the RummaGEO Gene Perturbation Signatures dataset. | |
| Sanger Dependency Map Cancer Cell Line Proteomics | cell lines associated with TMEM120A protein from the Sanger Dependency Map Cancer Cell Line Proteomics dataset. | |
| Sci-Plex Drug Perturbation Signatures | drug perturbations changing expression of TMEM120A gene from the Sci-Plex Drug Perturbation Signatures dataset. | |
| TargetScan Predicted Conserved microRNA Targets | microRNAs regulating expression of TMEM120A gene predicted using conserved miRNA seed sequences from the TargetScan Predicted Conserved microRNA Targets dataset. | |
| TargetScan Predicted Nonconserved microRNA Targets | microRNAs regulating expression of TMEM120A gene predicted using nonconserved miRNA seed sequences from the TargetScan Predicted Nonconserved microRNA Targets dataset. | |
| TCGA Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Tumors | tissue samples with high or low expression of TMEM120A gene relative to other tissue samples from the TCGA Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Tumors dataset. | |
| TISSUES Curated Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores | tissues with high expression of TMEM120A protein from the TISSUES Curated Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores dataset. | |
| TISSUES Curated Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 | tissues with high expression of TMEM120A protein from the TISSUES Curated Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| TISSUES Experimental Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores | tissues with high expression of TMEM120A protein in proteomics datasets from the TISSUES Experimental Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores dataset. | |
| TISSUES Text-mining Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 | tissues co-occuring with TMEM120A protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the TISSUES Text-mining Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| WikiPathways Pathways 2024 | pathways involving TMEM120A protein from the WikiPathways Pathways 2024 dataset. | |
