myosin heavy chain 6
Last updated 19 Nov 2025
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The MYH6 gene provides instructions for making a protein known as the cardiac alpha (α)-myosin heavy chain. This protein is found in heart (cardiac) muscle cells, where it forms part of a larger protein called type II myosin. Type II myosin helps generate the mechanical force that is needed for cardiac muscle to contract, allowing the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body.
Normal function
The MYH6 gene provides instructions for making a protein known as the cardiac alpha (α)-myosin heavy chain. This protein is found in heart (cardiac) muscle cells, where it forms part of a larger protein called type II myosin. Type II myosin helps generate the mechanical force that is needed for cardiac muscle to contract, allowing the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body.
Type II myosin is one of the major components of cell structures called sarcomeres. These structures are the basic units of muscle contraction. Sarcomeres are composed of thick filaments made up of type II myosin and thin filaments made up of another protein called actin. The overlapping thick and thin filaments attach to each other and release, which allows the filaments to move relative to one another so that muscles can contract. Sarcomeres also appear to have an important role in the early development of structures in the heart.
Conditions referring to this gene or chromosome
Other names
alpha-MHC
ASD3
CMD1EE
CMH14
MYH6_HUMAN
MYHC
myHC-alpha
MYHCA
myosin heavy chain, cardiac muscle alpha isoform
myosin, heavy chain 6, cardiac muscle, alpha
myosin, heavy polypeptide 6, cardiac muscle, alpha (cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic 1)
myosin-6
SSS3
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Further reading and references
- myosin heavy chain 6; MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine.
- Carniel E, Taylor MR, Sinagra G, Di Lenarda A, Ku L, Fain PR, Boucek MM, Cavanaugh J, Miocic S, Slavov D, Graw SL, Feiger J, Zhu XZ, Dao D, Ferguson DA, Bristow MR, Mestroni L. Alpha-myosin heavy chain: a sarcomeric gene associated with dilated and hypertrophic phenotypes of cardiomyopathy. Circulation. 2005 Jul 5;112(1):54-9. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.104.507699.
- Granados-Riveron JT, Ghosh TK, Pope M, Bu'Lock F, Thornborough C, Eason J, Kirk EP, Fatkin D, Feneley MP, Harvey RP, Armour JA, David Brook J. Alpha-cardiac myosin heavy chain (MYH6) mutations affecting myofibril formation are associated with congenital heart defects. Hum Mol Genet. 2010 Oct 15;19(20):4007-16. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddq315. Epub 2010 Jul 23.
- Hershberger RE, Norton N, Morales A, Li D, Siegfried JD, Gonzalez-Quintana J. Coding sequence rare variants identified in MYBPC3, MYH6, TPM1, TNNC1, and TNNI3 from 312 patients with familial or idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. Circ Cardiovasc Genet. 2010 Apr;3(2):155-61. doi: 10.1161/CIRCGENETICS.109.912345. Epub 2010 Mar 9.
- Holm H, Gudbjartsson DF, Sulem P, Masson G, Helgadottir HT, Zanon C, Magnusson OT, Helgason A, Saemundsdottir J, Gylfason A, Stefansdottir H, Gretarsdottir S, Matthiasson SE, Thorgeirsson GM, Jonasdottir A, Sigurdsson A, Stefansson H, Werge T, Rafnar T, Kiemeney LA, Parvez B, Muhammad R, Roden DM, Darbar D, Thorleifsson G, Walters GB, Kong A, Thorsteinsdottir U, Arnar DO, Stefansson K. A rare variant in MYH6 is associated with high risk of sick sinus syndrome. Nat Genet. 2011 Mar 6;43(4):316-20. doi: 10.1038/ng.781.
- Posch MG, Waldmuller S, Muller M, Scheffold T, Fournier D, Andrade-Navarro MA, De Geeter B, Guillaumont S, Dauphin C, Yousseff D, Schmitt KR, Perrot A, Berger F, Hetzer R, Bouvagnet P, Ozcelik C. Cardiac alpha-myosin (MYH6) is the predominant sarcomeric disease gene for familial atrial septal defects. PLoS One. 2011;6(12):e28872. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0028872. Epub 2011 Dec 14.
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