Anophthalmia_Microphthalmia_Coloboma

Gene: MAB21L1

Green List (high evidence)

MAB21L1 (mab-21 like 1, Ensemblv115)
EnsemblGeneIds (GRCh38): ENSG00000180660
EnsemblGeneIds (GRCh37): ENSG00000180660
OMIM: 601280, ClinGen, DECIPHER
MAB21L1 is in 5 panels

2 reviews

Achchuthan Shanmugasundram (Genomics England)

Green List (high evidence)

Biallelic variants in MAB21L1 are associated with a syndromic phenotype including ophthalmological presentations such as horizontal nystagmus, bilateral corneal opacities/ corneal dystrophy, strabismus and retinal degeneration. These phenotypes are not relevant for this panel.

However, there is sufficient evidence available for the association of monoallelic MAB21L1 variants with phenotypes relevant to this panel such as microphthalmia and aniridia.
Created: 13 May 2026, 4:36 a.m.
PMID:27103078 (2017) reported the identification of a homozygous frameshift variant in MAB21L1 gene (p.Cys246Leufs*18) in a boy with scrotum agensis, ophthalmological anomalies, cerebellar malformation, facial dysmorphism and global developmental delay. Ocular anomalies included nystagmus, convergent strabismus and corneal dystrophy. There is also functional evidence available from knockout mice which presented a similar malformative association of ophthalmological malformations of the anterior chamber and preputial glands hypoplasia.

PMID:30487245 (2019) reported the identification of four homozygous MAB21L1 loss of function variants (p.Glu281fs*20, p.Arg287Glufs*14 p.Tyr280* and p.Ser93Serfs*48) and one missense variant (p.Gln233Pro) in 10 affected individuals from 5 consanguineous families with a distinctive autosomal recessive neurodevelopmental syndrome. Ocular features included horizontal nystagmus, bilateral corneal opacities/ corneal dystrophy, strabismus and retinal degeneration.

PMID:33973683 (2021) reported a heterozygous novel variant in MAB21L1 gene (c.152G>T/ p.Arg51Leu), in two family members with microphthalmia and aniridia, as well as novel or rare compound heterozygous variants of uncertain significance (c.184C>T/ p.Arg62Cys; c.-68T>C and c.658G>C/ p.Gly220Arg; c.*529A>G) in two additional probands with microphthalmia, coloboma and/or cataracts. There is also function evidence available from in vitro studies of coding variants and in vivo complementation assays using the zebrafish mab21l2 Q48Sfs*5 loss-of-function line.

PMID:36413568 (2022) reported nine patients from five families with severe aniridia and/or microphthalmia with ultrarare monoallelic missense variants altering the Arg51 codon of MAB21L1. The detected variants are c.152G>A/ p.Arg51Gln, c.152G>T/ p.Arg51Leu, c.152G>C/ p.Arg51Pro and c.155T>G/ p.Phe52Cys. Mice engineered to carry the p.Arg51Leu change showed a highly-penetrant optic disc anomaly in heterozygous animals with severe microphthalmia in homozygotes.

PMID:36446583 (2023) reported the identification of a novel missense variant (p.Phe52Leu) in a three-generation pedigree with autosomal dominant microphthalmia.

PMID:36892533 (2023) reported the identification of three heterozygous missense variants in MAB21L1 gene in five unrelated families, including c.152G>T/ p.Arg51Leu in two, c.152G>A/ p.Arg51Gln in two, and c.155T>G/ p.Phe52Cys in one. All patients presented with similar blepharophimosis plus anterior segment and macular dysgenesis (BAMD) phenotype.

PMID:39016008 (2024) reported an additional family with four individuals diagnosed with microphthalmia and with Arg51 variant in MAB21L1 gene.

Only biallelic variants in this gene are associated with relevant phenotypes in OMIM (MIM #618479, last accessed 12 May 2026), Gene2Phenotype (with 'definitive' rating on the DD and Eye panels) and ClinGen (Strong rating by Syndromic disorders Expert panel - https://search.clinicalgenome.org/CCID:008388) However, only monoallelic variants are associated with phenotypes relevant to this panel.
Created: 13 May 2026, 4:35 a.m.

Mode of inheritance
MONOALLELIC, autosomal or pseudoautosomal, NOT imprinted

Publications

Sue White (Victorian Clinical Genetics Services)

Green List (high evidence)

Sources: Literature
Created: 29 Jan 2020, 1:01 p.m.

Mode of inheritance
BIALLELIC, autosomal or pseudoautosomal

Phenotypes
Cerebellar, ocular, craniofacial, and genital syndrome OMIM#618479

Publications

Details

Mode of Inheritance
BOTH monoallelic and biallelic, autosomal or pseudoautosomal
Sources
  • Expert Review Green
Phenotypes
  • Cerebellar, ocular, craniofacial, and genital syndrome OMIM#618479
  • Microphthalmia MONDO:0021129, MAB21L1-related
OMIM
601280
ClinGen
MAB21L1
DECIPHER
MAB21L1
Clinvar variants
Variants in MAB21L1
Penetrance
Complete
Publications
Panels with this gene

History Filter Activity

Note: This information shows the history of the gene symbol, not the gene entity. Where the gene symbol for a gene has changed, this history may reference a different gene to the entry you are currently viewing.
14 May 2026, Gel status: 3

Set Phenotypes

Zornitza Stark (Victorian Clinical Genetics Services)

Phenotypes for gene: MAB21L1 were changed from Cerebellar, ocular, craniofacial, and genital syndrome OMIM#618479 to Cerebellar, ocular, craniofacial, and genital syndrome OMIM#618479; Microphthalmia MONDO:0021129, MAB21L1-related

14 May 2026, Gel status: 3

Set publications

Zornitza Stark (Victorian Clinical Genetics Services)

Publications for gene: MAB21L1 were set to 30487245

14 May 2026, Gel status: 3

Set mode of inheritance

Zornitza Stark (Victorian Clinical Genetics Services)

Mode of inheritance for gene: MAB21L1 was changed from BIALLELIC, autosomal or pseudoautosomal to BOTH monoallelic and biallelic, autosomal or pseudoautosomal

29 Jan 2020, Gel status: 3

Entity classified by Genomics England curator

Zornitza Stark (Victorian Clinical Genetics Services)

Gene: mab21l1 has been classified as Green List (High Evidence).

29 Jan 2020, Gel status: 3

Entity classified by Genomics England curator

Sue White (Victorian Clinical Genetics Services)

Gene: mab21l1 has been classified as Green List (High Evidence).

29 Jan 2020, Gel status: 1

Created, Added New Source, Set mode of inheritance, Set publications, Set Phenotypes, Set penetrance

Sue White (Victorian Clinical Genetics Services)

gene: MAB21L1 was added gene: MAB21L1 was added to Anophthalmia_Microphthalmia_Coloboma. Sources: Literature Mode of inheritance for gene: MAB21L1 was set to BIALLELIC, autosomal or pseudoautosomal Publications for gene: MAB21L1 were set to 30487245 Phenotypes for gene: MAB21L1 were set to Cerebellar, ocular, craniofacial, and genital syndrome OMIM#618479 Penetrance for gene: MAB21L1 were set to Complete Review for gene: MAB21L1 was set to GREEN