MORC1 was first discovered as a key regulator for male meiosis and spermatogenesis. Accumulating biochemical and functional analyses unveil MORC proteins as key regulators for cancer development. The MORC family contains a combination of a gyrase, histidine kinase, and MutL (GHKL) and S5 domains that together constitute a catalytically active ATPase module. The MORC1 gene is a link between early-life stress and major depression. MORC1 is a stress-sensitive gene and a possible biomarker for depression. MORC1-deficient mice were previously found to display male-specific germ cell loss and infertility. MORC1 is an important new regulator of the epigenetic landscape of male germ cells during the period of global de novo methylation.