Cloning and chromosomal localization of human Cdc42-binding protein kinasebeta

The p21 GTPases, Rho and Cdc42, regulate numerous cellular functions by bin ding to members of a serine/threonine protein kinase subfamily. These funct ions include the remodeling of the cell cytoskeleton that is a feature of c ell growth and differentiation. Two of these p21 GTPase-regulated kinases, the myotonic dystrophy protein kinase-related Cdc42-binding kinases (MRCK a lpha and beta), have been recently characterized in rat. Both of these prot eins phosphorylate nonmuscle myosin light chain, a prerequisite for the act ivation of actin-myosin contractility. Here we report the cDNA cloning of t he human homologue of MRCK beta, CDC42BPB, which was found by Northern blot analysis to be expressed in a wide range of tissues. The human CDC42BPB ge ne maps to cytogenetic band 14q32.3 by FISH analysis. (C) 1999 Academic Pre ss.