Gene
COL6A1
collagen type VI alpha 1 chain
- HGNC 2211↗(opens in a new tab)
- Ensembl gene ENSG00000142156↗(opens in a new tab)
- NCBI Gene 1291↗(opens in a new tab)
Summary
- Cytogenetic location
- 21q22.3
- Coordinates
- Chromosome 21: 45,981,770–46,005,048 (GRCh38)
- Exons
- 35 exons across 23.3 kb
- Protein
- 1,028 amino acids
- MANE Select transcript
- ENST00000361866.8NM_001848.3
- Locus type
- gene with protein product
- Very high
- Confident
- Low
- Very low
Reference genomeGRCh38hg38
Positions on gene and variant pages follow this choice, in this browser.
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Congenital Muscular Dystrophies
- Collagen VI-related myopathy
A spectrum of muscle disorders caused by COL6A1, COL6A2 or COL6A3 variants, ranging from severe Ullrich congenital muscular dystrophy to milder Bethlem myopathy, with weakness and joint contractures.
- ClinGen rates the link definitive
- 4 GenCC submitters rate it definitive or strong
- Congenital muscular dystrophy
A group of muscular dystrophies with onset at birth or in infancy, including dystroglycanopathies (such as FKRP, FKTN and POMT1/2-related forms).
- 3 GenCC submitters rate it definitive or strong
Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy
Limb-girdle Muscular Dystrophy is defined as a collection of numerous subtypes with differing inheritance patterns (with diagnostic sufficiency being varied too). Carriers of variants related to the condition should seek guidance from a muscular-skeletal specialist for a definitive diagnosis.
- 3 GenCC submitters rate it definitive or strong
How COL6A1 is laid out
- Coding sequence
- Untranslated region
- Intron
- Direction of transcription
- Known disease-causing sites
- Stretches short reads find hard
Exons of the gene's MANE Select transcript (release v1.5), from NCBI and EMBL-EBI, on the GRCh38 reference genome.
Chromosome bands from UCSC's GRCh38 ideogram (2022-10-29).
Nearby genes from Ensembl release 116, on GRCh38.
Exons make up 4.2 kb of the gene's 23.3 kb; 3,087 of those bases code for the protein.
How a genome test reads COL6A1
138
positions in COL6A1 where ClinVar classes a change as pathogenic or likely pathogenic
None of them falls in a region short reads find hard.
A whole genome covers all 23.3 kb of COL6A1, introns included, not only the 4.2 kb of exons.
Genes linked to the same conditions
- COL6A2collagen type VI alpha 2 chainShares 3 conditions
- COL6A3collagen type VI alpha 3 chainShares 3 conditions
- DAG1dystroglycan 1Shares 2 conditions
- FKRPfukutin related proteinShares 2 conditions
- FKTNfukutinShares 2 conditions
- GMPPBGDP-mannose pyrophosphorylase BShares 2 conditions
- LAMA2laminin subunit alpha 2Shares 2 conditions
- POMGNT1protein O-linked mannose N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 1 (beta 1,2-)Shares 2 conditions
- SNUPNsnurportin 1Shares 2 conditions
- ANO5anoctamin 5Shares 1 condition
- B3GALNT2beta-1,3-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 2Shares 1 condition
- B4GAT1beta-1,4-glucuronyltransferase 1Shares 1 condition
Traits linked to COL6A1
The Human Phenotype Ontology lists these as features of the rare conditions COL6A1 can cause. Each trait's page lists the other genes linked to it.
Abnormality of the musculoskeletal system
- Axial muscle weakness
- Centrally nucleated skeletal muscle fibers
- Difficulty walking up stairs
- Distal lower limb amyotrophy
- Double-Jointed
- Elbow contracture
- EMG: myopathic abnormalities
- Fatty replacement of skeletal muscle
Show 34 more traits
- Fiber type grouping
- Muscle fiber necrosis
- Neck muscle weakness
- Proximal neurogenic muscle weakness
- Reduced spine movement
- Abnormal muscle fiber morphology
- Flexed joint that cannot be straightened
- Generalized muscle weakness
- Hunched back
- Increased endomysial connective tissue
- Increased variability in muscle fiber diameter
- Increased wrist mobility
- Muscle weakness
- Muscular dystrophy
- Progressive proximal muscle weakness
- Reduced muscle collagen VI
- Scoliosis
- Difficulty running
- Diffuse skeletal muscle wasting
- Frequent falls
- Generalized decreased muscle tone
- Multiple joint contractures
- Weak diaphragm
- Weakness of outermost muscles
- Excessive inward curvature of lower spine
- Gowers sign
- Reduced maximal expiratory pressure
- Rimmed vacuoles
- Decreased lung function due to weak breathing muscles
- Distal joint hypermobility
- Low muscle tone, in neonatal onset
- Muscle degeneration
- Muscle tissue disease
- Type 1 muscle fiber predominance
Abnormality of limbs
- High-arched foot
- Shoulder girdle muscle wasting
- Increased laxity of fingers
- Ankle contracture
- Ankle flexion contracture
- Elbow flexion contracture
- Finger joint contracture
- Hip dislocation
Show 16 more traits
- Inability to straighten knee
- Interphalangeal joint contracture of finger
- Inward turned thumb
- Limb-girdle muscle weakness
- Long toe
- Permanent flexion of the finger
- Pes valgus
- Quadriceps weakness
- Slender finger
- Wrist flexion contracture
- Curved toe bone
- Foot drop
- Shortening of the achilles tendon
- Winged shoulder blade
- Ankle hypermobility
- Club feet
External links
Gene records
Transcript
Protein
Where this comes from
- HGNC: the gene's symbol, name, other symbols and location.
- MANE Select v1.5, from NCBI and EMBL-EBI: the transcript, its exons and coding sequence.
- GenCC and ClinGen, released 2026-10-16: which conditions the gene is linked to, and how strongly.
- The ACMG secondary findings list, SF v3.2.
- ClinVar and the GIAB stratifications: known disease-causing sites, and the regions short reads find hard.
- The Human Phenotype Ontology, release 2026-09-01: the traits linked to the gene. Find out more at hpo.jax.org.
- Data release 2026.10.16-c6eea6bf.
Cite this page
Dante Labs. (n.d.). COL6A1 gene: collagen type VI alpha 1 chain. Retrieved 17 October 2026, from https://dantelabs.com/genes/col6a1
Dante Labs. COL6A1 gene: collagen type VI alpha 1 chain [Internet]. [cited 17 October 2026]. Available from: https://dantelabs.com/genes/col6a1
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