Kitlg KIT ligand [Rattus norvegicus (Norway rat)] - Gene

Summary

Official Symbol: Kitlgprovided by RGD
Official Full Name: KIT ligandprovided by RGD
Primary source: RGD:3086
See related: Ensembl:ENSRNOG00000005386 AllianceGenome:RGD:3086
Gene type: protein coding
RefSeq status: VALIDATED
Organism: Rattus norvegicus
Lineage: Eukaryota; Metazoa; Chordata; Craniata; Vertebrata; Euteleostomi; Mammalia; Eutheria; Euarchontoglires; Glires; Rodentia; Myomorpha; Muroidea; Muridae; Murinae; Rattus
Also known as: Mgf; SCF; Kitl
Summary: Predicted to enable cytokine activity and stem cell factor receptor binding activity. Involved in ovarian follicle development and positive regulation of cell population proliferation. Predicted to be located in several cellular components, including extracellular space; filopodium; and lamellipodium. Predicted to be active in plasma membrane. Human ortholog(s) of this gene implicated in Waardenburg syndrome; autosomal dominant nonsyndromic deafness 69; familial progressive hyperpigmentation with or without hypopigmentation; and pigmentation disease. Orthologous to human KITLG (KIT ligand). [provided by Alliance of Genome Resources, Jul 2025]
Expression: Biased expression in Lung (RPKM 352.5), Heart (RPKM 155.8) and 8 other tissues See more
Orthologs: human mouse all
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Genomic context

Location:: 7q21

Exon count:: 10

Annotation release	Status	Assembly	Chr	Location
RS_2024_02	current	GRCr8 (GCF_036323735.1)	7	NC_086025.1 (36782621..36863796)
RS_2023_06	previous assembly	mRatBN7.2 (GCF_015227675.2)	7	NC_051342.1 (34896075..34977215)
106	previous assembly	Rnor_6.0 (GCF_000001895.5)	7	NC_005106.4 (42269784..42351054)

Chromosome 7 - NC_086025.1 Genomic Context describing neighboring genes

Genomic regions, transcripts, and products

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Go to reference sequence details

Genomic Sequence:

Go to nucleotide: Graphics FASTA GenBank

Expression

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See details

Project title: A rat RNA-Seq transcriptomic BodyMap across 11 organs and 4 developmental stages
Description: 320 RNA samples isolated from 11 organs (adrenal gland, brain, heart, kidney, liver, lung, muscle, spleen, thymus, and testes or uterus) from both sexes of Fischer 344 rats across four developmental stages (2-, 6-, 21-, and 104-weeks-old)
BioProject: PRJNA238328
Publication: PMID 24510058
Analysis date: Mon Jun 6 17:44:12 2016

Bibliography

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GeneRIFs: Gene References Into Functions

What's a GeneRIF?

The data suggest that microtubule acetylation upregulates KL1 and induces more aneuploidy if tau is deficient.
Title: Microtubule Hyperacetylation Enhances KL1-Dependent Micronucleation under a Tau Deficiency in Mammary Epithelial Cells.
the SCF/c-KIT system is aberrantly expressed in varicocele(VC) testis, which could be involved in male infertility caused by VC.
Title: Aberrant expressions of stem cell factor/c-KIT in rat testis with varicocele.
It was concluded that the exposure of cadimium on newborn rats ovaries could inhibit follicle development. SCF/c-kit system might mediate follicle development damage caused by cadmium, which is associated with DNA hypomethylation of SCF/c-kit promoter region may be worthy of further study.
Title: Cadmium exposure in newborn rats ovary induces developmental disorders of primordial follicles and the differential expression of SCF/c-kit gene.
MGF-C25E promotes tenocyte migration by increasing nuclear stiffness via the FAK-ERK1/2 signaling pathway.
Title: Increased nuclear stiffness via FAK-ERK1/2 signaling is necessary for synthetic mechano-growth factor E peptide-induced tenocyte migration.
up-regulation of the NPs/NPR-C and NPs/NPR-A, B/cGMP signaling pathways may be involved in depression-induced loss of gastric ICC by decreasing the production of mSCF
Title: NPs/NPRs Signaling Pathways May Be Involved in Depression-Induced Loss of Gastric ICC by Decreasing the Production of mSCF.
Downregulation of either c-kit or CXCR4 in bone marrow stem cells decreased engraftment of circulating bone marrow stem cells and inhibited reparative effects of transmyocardial revascularization.
Title: Transmyocardial Revascularization Enhances Bone Marrow Stem Cell Engraftment in Infarcted Hearts Through SCF-C-kit and SDF-1-CXCR4 Signaling Axes.
A 100 nM dose of E2 unbalanced the SCF/c-kit system, with a crucial impact on germ cell survival and thus male fertility.
Title: Estrogenic regulation of testicular expression of stem cell factor and c-kit: implications in germ cell survival and male fertility.
SCF/c-kit signaling pathway is required for maintenance of interstitial cells of Cajal phenotype, survival, proliferation, and differentiation.
Title: Electroacupuncture at ST36 increases contraction of the gastric antrum and improves the SCF/c-kit pathway in diabetic rats.
In diabetic colonic dysmotility, deficiency of endogenous IGF-1 in colonic smooth muscle cells leads to reduction of SCF expression.
Title: Effect of endogenous insulin-like growth factor and stem cell factor on diabetic colonic dysmotility.
The results of this study concluded that Electroacupuncture treatment up-regulates the positive cells and mRNA expression of SCF after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion.
Title: Electroacupuncture improves behavioral recovery and increases SCF/c-kit expression in a rat model of focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion.

Submit: New GeneRIF Correction See all GeneRIFs (28)

Interactions

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Products	Interactant	Other Gene	Complex	Source	Pubs	Description

General gene information

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Markers

Kitl (e-PCR), detects polymorphism
- UniSTS:261909

D7Wox35 (e-PCR)
- UniSTS:239382

MGF (e-PCR)
- UniSTS:266303

RH94630 (e-PCR)
- UniSTS:119877

RH137672 (e-PCR)
- UniSTS:219759

Kitl (e-PCR), detects polymorphism
- UniSTS:525712

Kitl (e-PCR), detects polymorphism
- UniSTS:256948

AA858739 (e-PCR)
- UniSTS:243420

Gene Ontology Provided by RGD

Function	Evidence Code	Pubs
enables cytokine activity	IBA Inferred from Biological aspect of Ancestor more info
enables cytokine activity	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
enables cytokine activity	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
enables growth factor activity	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
enables stem cell factor receptor binding	IBA Inferred from Biological aspect of Ancestor more info
enables stem cell factor receptor binding	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
enables stem cell factor receptor binding	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info

Process	Evidence Code	Pubs
acts_upstream_of Ras protein signal transduction	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
acts_upstream_of Ras protein signal transduction	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
acts_upstream_of T cell proliferation	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
acts_upstream_of T cell proliferation	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
involved_in animal organ development	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
acts_upstream_of apoptotic process	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
acts_upstream_of apoptotic process	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
involved_in cell adhesion	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
acts_upstream_of cell population proliferation	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
acts_upstream_of cell population proliferation	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
involved_in developmental process involved in reproduction	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
acts_upstream_of_or_within ectopic germ cell programmed cell death	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
acts_upstream_of_or_within ectopic germ cell programmed cell death	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
involved_in embryonic hemopoiesis	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
involved_in embryonic hemopoiesis	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
acts_upstream_of_or_within extrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway in absence of ligand	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
acts_upstream_of_or_within extrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway in absence of ligand	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
acts_upstream_of hematopoietic progenitor cell differentiation	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
acts_upstream_of hematopoietic progenitor cell differentiation	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
involved_in male gonad development	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
involved_in male gonad development	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
acts_upstream_of mast cell apoptotic process	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
acts_upstream_of mast cell apoptotic process	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
acts_upstream_of mast cell migration	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
acts_upstream_of mast cell migration	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
acts_upstream_of mast cell proliferation	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
acts_upstream_of mast cell proliferation	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
acts_upstream_of_or_within melanocyte migration	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
acts_upstream_of_or_within melanocyte migration	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
acts_upstream_of myeloid leukocyte differentiation	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
acts_upstream_of myeloid leukocyte differentiation	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
acts_upstream_of_or_within negative regulation of apoptotic process	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
acts_upstream_of_or_within negative regulation of apoptotic process	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
acts_upstream_of_or_within negative regulation of mast cell apoptotic process	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
acts_upstream_of_or_within negative regulation of mast cell apoptotic process	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
acts_upstream_of_or_within neural crest cell migration	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
acts_upstream_of_or_within neural crest cell migration	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
involved_in ovarian follicle development	IDA Inferred from Direct Assay more info	PubMed
acts_upstream_of_or_within positive regulation of Ras protein signal transduction	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
acts_upstream_of_or_within positive regulation of Ras protein signal transduction	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
acts_upstream_of_or_within positive regulation of T cell proliferation	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
acts_upstream_of_or_within positive regulation of T cell proliferation	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
involved_in positive regulation of cell population proliferation	IBA Inferred from Biological aspect of Ancestor more info
involved_in positive regulation of cell population proliferation	IDA Inferred from Direct Assay more info	PubMed
acts_upstream_of_or_within positive regulation of cell population proliferation	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
involved_in positive regulation of cell population proliferation	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
acts_upstream_of_or_within positive regulation of cell population proliferation	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
involved_in positive regulation of cell population proliferation	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
acts_upstream_of_or_within positive regulation of hematopoietic progenitor cell differentiation	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
acts_upstream_of_or_within positive regulation of hematopoietic progenitor cell differentiation	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
acts_upstream_of_or_within positive regulation of hematopoietic stem cell proliferation	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
acts_upstream_of_or_within positive regulation of hematopoietic stem cell proliferation	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
acts_upstream_of_or_within positive regulation of leukocyte migration	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
acts_upstream_of_or_within positive regulation of leukocyte migration	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
acts_upstream_of_or_within positive regulation of mast cell proliferation	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
acts_upstream_of_or_within positive regulation of mast cell proliferation	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
acts_upstream_of_or_within positive regulation of melanocyte differentiation	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
acts_upstream_of_or_within positive regulation of melanocyte differentiation	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
acts_upstream_of_or_within positive regulation of myeloid leukocyte differentiation	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
acts_upstream_of_or_within positive regulation of myeloid leukocyte differentiation	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info

Component	Evidence Code	Pubs
located_in cell projection	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
located_in cytoplasm	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
located_in cytoplasm	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
located_in cytoplasm	ISS Inferred from Sequence or Structural Similarity more info
located_in cytoskeleton	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
located_in extracellular region	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
located_in extracellular space	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
located_in extracellular space	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
located_in filopodium	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
located_in filopodium	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
located_in filopodium	ISS Inferred from Sequence or Structural Similarity more info
located_in lamellipodium	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
located_in lamellipodium	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
located_in lamellipodium	ISS Inferred from Sequence or Structural Similarity more info
located_in membrane	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
located_in membrane	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
is_active_in plasma membrane	IBA Inferred from Biological aspect of Ancestor more info
located_in plasma membrane	IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation more info
located_in plasma membrane	ISO Inferred from Sequence Orthology more info
located_in plasma membrane	ISS Inferred from Sequence or Structural Similarity more info

General protein information

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Preferred Names: kit ligand

Names: C-kit ligand; hematopoietic growth factor KL; mast cell growth factor; steel factor/kit ligand; stem cell factor KL-1

NP_068615.1

EC 3.2.1.31

NP_068616.1

EC 3.2.1.31

XP_063120265.1

EC 3.2.1.31

XP_063120266.1

EC 3.2.1.31

XP_063120267.1

EC 3.2.1.31

XP_063120268.1

EC 3.2.1.31

NCBI Reference Sequences (RefSeq)

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RefSeqs maintained independently of Annotated Genomes

These reference sequences exist independently of genome builds. Explain

These reference sequences are curated independently of the genome annotation cycle, so their versions may not match the RefSeq versions in the current genome build. Identify version mismatches by comparing the version of the RefSeq in this section to the one reported in Genomic regions, transcripts, and products above.

mRNA and Protein(s)

NM_021843.4 → NP_068615.1 kit ligand isoform 1 precursor

See identical proteins and their annotated locations for NP_068615.1

Status: VALIDATED

Description

Transcript Variant: This variant (1) represents the longer transcript and it encodes the longer protein (isoform 1).

Source sequence(s)

JAXUCZ010000007

UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot

P21581, Q9QWZ4, Q9Z2E7

UniProtKB/TrEMBL

A6IG90

Related

ENSRNOP00000008471.5, ENSRNOT00000008471.10

Conserved Domains (1) summary

pfam02404
Location:1 → 273

SCF; Stem cell factor
NM_021844.2 → NP_068616.1 kit ligand isoform 2 precursor

See identical proteins and their annotated locations for NP_068616.1

Status: VALIDATED

Description

Transcript Variant: This variant (2) lacks an alternate in-frame segment in the 3' coding region, compared to variant 1. The resulting protein (isoform 2) is shorter when it is compared to isoform 1.

Source sequence(s)

JAXUCZ010000007

UniProtKB/TrEMBL

A0A0A0MXU5, Q54A14

Related

ENSRNOP00000109747.1, ENSRNOT00000133703.1

Conserved Domains (1) summary

pfam02404
Location:1 → 245

SCF; Stem cell factor