ATF6

activating transcription factor 6 | ATF6A, ATP6alpha

This gene encodes a transcription factor that activates target genes for the unfolded protein response (UPR) during endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Although it is a transcription factor, this protein is unusual in that it is synthesized as a transmembrane protein that is embedded in the ER. It functions as an ER stress sensor/transducer, and following ER stress-induced proteolysis, it functions as a nuclear transcription factor via a cis-acting ER stress response element (ERSE) that is present in the promoters of genes encoding ER chaperones. This protein has been identified as a survival factor for quiescent but not proliferative squamous carcinoma cells. There have been conflicting reports about the association of polymorphisms in this gene with diabetes in different populations, but another polymorphism has been associated with increased plasma cholesterol levels. This gene is also thought to be a potential therapeutic target for cystic fibrosis. [provided by RefSeq, Aug 2011]

Member of: DE-3 DE-3.29 Developmental clusters: GC5

Biological processes 59 terms

ATF6-mediated unfolded protein response (GO:0036500)ATF6-mediated unfolded protein response (GO:0036500)ATF6-mediated unfolded protein response (GO:0036500)DNA-binding transcription activator activity, RNA polymerase II-specific (GO:0001228)DNA-binding transcription factor activity (GO:0003700)DNA-binding transcription factor activity (GO:0003700)DNA-binding transcription factor activity (GO:0003700)DNA-binding transcription factor activity, RNA polymerase II-specific (GO:0000981)DNA-binding transcription factor activity, RNA polymerase II-specific (GO:0000981)ERAD pathway (GO:0036503)Golgi apparatus (GO:0005794)Golgi membrane (GO:0000139)Golgi membrane (GO:0000139)RNA polymerase II cis-regulatory region sequence-specific DNA binding (GO:0000978)RNA polymerase II cis-regulatory region sequence-specific DNA binding (GO:0000978)RNA polymerase II transcription regulatory region sequence-specific DNA binding (GO:0000977)chromatin (GO:0000785)cytosol (GO:0005829)endoplasmic reticulum (GO:0005783)endoplasmic reticulum membrane (GO:0005789)endoplasmic reticulum membrane (GO:0005789)endoplasmic reticulum membrane (GO:0005789)endoplasmic reticulum membrane (GO:0005789)endoplasmic reticulum unfolded protein response (GO:0030968)endoplasmic reticulum unfolded protein response (GO:0030968)enzyme binding (GO:0019899)eye development (GO:0001654)fibrillar center (GO:0001650)identical protein binding (GO:0042802)membrane (GO:0016020)nuclear envelope (GO:0005635)nucleolus (GO:0005730)nucleoplasm (GO:0005654)nucleoplasm (GO:0005654)nucleus (GO:0005634)nucleus (GO:0005634)nucleus (GO:0005634)nucleus (GO:0005634)nucleus (GO:0005634)positive regulation of ATF6-mediated unfolded protein response (GO:1903893)positive regulation of apoptotic process (GO:0043065)positive regulation of autophagy (GO:0010508)positive regulation of transcription by RNA polymerase II (GO:0045944)positive regulation of transcription by RNA polymerase II (GO:0045944)protein binding (GO:0005515)protein folding (GO:0006457)protein heterodimerization activity (GO:0046982)regulation of ATF6-mediated unfolded protein response (GO:1903891)regulation of DNA-templated transcription (GO:0006355)regulation of transcription by RNA polymerase II (GO:0006357)regulation of transcription by RNA polymerase II (GO:0006357)regulation of transcription by RNA polymerase II (GO:0006357)response to endoplasmic reticulum stress (GO:0034976)response to endoplasmic reticulum stress (GO:0034976)sequence-specific DNA binding (GO:0043565)sequence-specific double-stranded DNA binding (GO:1990837)signal transduction (GO:0007165)transcription cis-regulatory region binding (GO:0000976)visual perception (GO:0007601)

Expression (TPM)

TFs regulating ATF6 0 TFs

Transcription factors with Perturb-seq knockdown data for ATF6. The Binding column indicates whether any binding evidence exists for this TF–gene pair (ChIP-seq or motif footprint peaks). The Mean coef is the average Perturb-seq regression coefficient across active gRNAs (positive = ATF6 upregulated upon KD; negative = downregulated). The Outlier column indicates whether this gene is in the top or bottom 5% of all TF knockdown effects.

TF	Mean coef	Binding	Outlier	TF→Gene link

Rows:

Elements linked to ATF6

Open chromatin peaks (ATAC-seq) in the genomic neighbourhood of ATF6, linked by TSS proximity or chromatin conformation (Multiome / HiCAR). Each element overlaps at least one TF ChIP-seq binding site — the TFs column shows how many distinct TFs bind that element.

Element	Dist. to TSS	Link type	TFs
chr1:161,523,599–161,524,629	242.2 kb	Distal (>10kb) Multiome	513
chr1:161,530,606–161,531,531	235.4 kb	Distal (>10kb) Multiome	645
chr1:161,539,909–161,540,503	226.1 kb	Distal (>10kb) Multiome	653
chr1:161,612,174–161,612,901	153.8 kb	Distal (>10kb) Multiome	601
chr1:161,621,415–161,621,911	144.7 kb	Distal (>10kb) Multiome	377
chr1:161,725,801–161,727,799	39.2 kb	Distal (>10kb) Multiome	770
chr1:161,749,531–161,750,743	16.5 kb	Distal (>10kb) Multiome	1002
chr1:161,766,129–161,766,571	at TSS	At TSS	813
chr1:162,023,209–162,024,534	257.5 kb	Distal (>10kb) Multiome HiCAR	452

Genome Browser

Genomic view of the ATF6 locus showing ATAC-seq accessibility and RNA-seq expression across the ESC → DE time course, together with TF binding peaks and element-to-TSS loop connections.