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DMPK gene
URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/gene/dmpk/

DMPK gene

DM1 protein kinase

Normal Function

The DMPK gene provides instructions for making a protein called myotonic dystrophy protein kinase. This protein appears to play an important role in muscle, heart, and brain cells. The protein may be involved in communication within cells. It also appears to regulate the production and function of important structures inside muscle cells by interacting with other proteins. For example, myotonic dystrophy protein kinase has been shown to turn off (inhibit) part of a muscle protein called myosin phosphatase. Myosin phosphatase is an enzyme that plays a role in muscle tensing (contraction) and relaxation.

One region of the DMPK gene contains a segment of three DNA building blocks (nucleotides) that is repeated multiple times. This sequence, which is written as CTG, is called a triplet or trinucleotide repeat. In most people, the number of CTG repeats in this gene ranges from 5 to 34.

Health Conditions Related to Genetic Changes

Myotonic dystrophy

Mutations in the DMPK gene cause a form of myotonic dystrophy known as myotonic dystrophy type 1. Myotonic dystrophy is characterized by progressive muscle wasting and weakness. The muscle weakness associated with type 1 particularly affects muscles farthest from the center of the body (distal muscles), such as those of the lower legs, hands, neck, and face. People with this disorder often have prolonged muscle contractions (myotonia) and are not able to relax certain muscles after use.

The type of mutation that causes myotonic dystrophy type 1 is known as a trinucleotide repeat expansion. This mutation increases the size of the repeated CTG segment in the DMPK gene. People with myotonic dystrophy type 1 have from 50 to 1,000 CTG repeats in most cells. The number of repeats may be even greater in certain types of cells, such as muscle cells.

The mutated DMPK gene produces an altered version of messenger RNA, which is a molecular blueprint of the gene that is normally used to guide the production of proteins. Researchers have found that the altered messenger RNA traps proteins to form clumps within the cell. The clumps interfere with the production of many other proteins. These changes prevent muscle cells and cells in other tissues from functioning properly, leading to muscle weakness and the other features of myotonic dystrophy type 1.

The size of the trinucleotide repeat expansion is associated with the severity of signs and symptoms. People with the classic features of myotonic dystrophy type 1, including muscle weakness and wasting beginning in adulthood, usually have between 100 and 1,000 CTG repeats in their cells. People born with the more severe, congenital form of myotonic dystrophy type 1 tend to have more than 1,000 CTG repeats in their cells. People with the mild form of the condition usually have between 50 and 150 CTG repeats in their cells.

As the altered DMPK gene is passed from one generation to the next, the size of the CTG repeat expansion often increases in size. People with 35 to 49 CTG repeats do not develop myotonic dystrophy type 1, but their children are at risk of having the disorder if the number of CTG repeats increases. Repeat lengths from 35 to 49 are called premutations.

More About This Health Condition

Other Names for This Gene

  • DM protein kinase
  • DM-kinase
  • DM-PK
  • DM1
  • Dm15
  • DM1PK
  • DMK
  • DMPK_HUMAN
  • dystrophia myotonica 1
  • dystrophia myotonica kinase, B15
  • dystrophia myotonica protein kinase
  • dystrophia myotonica-protein kinase
  • MDPK
  • MT-PK
  • myotonic dystrophy protein kinase
  • myotonin
  • myotonin-protein kinase

Additional Information & Resources

Tests Listed in the Genetic Testing Registry

Scientific Articles on PubMed

Catalog of Genes and Diseases from OMIM

Gene and Variant Databases

References

  • Bird TD. Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1. 1999 Sep 17 [updated 2024 Mar 21]. In: Adam MP, Feldman J, Mirzaa GM, Pagon RA, Wallace SE, Amemiya A, editors. GeneReviews(R) [Internet]. Seattle (WA): University of Washington, Seattle; 1993-2024. Available from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK1165/ Citation on PubMed
  • Botta A, Rinaldi F, Catalli C, Vergani L, Bonifazi E, Romeo V, Loro E, Viola A, Angelini C, Novelli G. The CTG repeat expansion size correlates with the splicing defects observed in muscles from myotonic dystrophy type 1 patients. J Med Genet. 2008 Oct;45(10):639-46. doi: 10.1136/jmg.2008.058909. Epub 2008 Jul 8. Citation on PubMed
  • Cho DH, Tapscott SJ. Myotonic dystrophy: emerging mechanisms for DM1 and DM2. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2007 Feb;1772(2):195-204. doi: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2006.05.013. Epub 2006 Jun 20. Citation on PubMed
  • Kaliman P, Llagostera E. Myotonic dystrophy protein kinase (DMPK) and its role in the pathogenesis of myotonic dystrophy 1. Cell Signal. 2008 Nov;20(11):1935-41. doi: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2008.05.005. Epub 2008 May 18. Citation on PubMed
  • Overend G, Legare C, Mathieu J, Bouchard L, Gagnon C, Monckton DG. Allele length of the DMPK CTG repeat is a predictor of progressive myotonic dystrophy type 1 phenotypes. Hum Mol Genet. 2019 Jul 1;28(13):2245-2254. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddz055. Citation on PubMed or Free article on PubMed Central
  • Ranum LP, Day JW. Myotonic dystrophy: RNA pathogenesis comes into focus. Am J Hum Genet. 2004 May;74(5):793-804. doi: 10.1086/383590. Epub 2004 Apr 2. Citation on PubMed or Free article on PubMed Central
  • Salvatori S, Fanin M, Trevisan CP, Furlan S, Reddy S, Nagy JI, Angelini C. Decreased expression of DMPK: correlation with CTG repeat expansion and fibre type composition in myotonic dystrophy type 1. Neurol Sci. 2005 Oct;26(4):235-42. doi: 10.1007/s10072-005-0466-x. Citation on PubMed
  • Santoro M, Masciullo M, Silvestri G, Novelli G, Botta A. Myotonic dystrophy type 1: role of CCG, CTC and CGG interruptions within DMPK alleles in the pathogenesis and molecular diagnosis. Clin Genet. 2017 Oct;92(4):355-364. doi: 10.1111/cge.12954. Epub 2017 Feb 22. Citation on PubMed
  • Ueda H, Ohno S, Kobayashi T. Myotonic dystrophy and myotonic dystrophy protein kinase. Prog Histochem Cytochem. 2000;35(3):187-251. doi: 10.1016/s0079-6336(00)80002-9. Citation on PubMed

The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.