Bicaudal D Homolog 2 (BICD2)

BICD2 is one of two human homologs of Drosophila bicaudal-D and a member of the Bicoid family. It has been implicated in dynein-mediated, minus end-directed motility along microtubules. It has also been reported to be a phosphorylation target of NIMA related kinase 8. Two alternative splice variants have been described.

The deduced 847-amino acid protein shares significant similarity with human BICD1. BICD2 had an apparent molecular mass of 88 kD by SDS-PAGE. RT-PCR detected relatively uniform expression of BICD2 in all tissues examined.rabbit Bicd2 was a substrate for phosphorylation by Nek9, which they called Nek8, in vitro, and that the endogenous proteins associated in vivo. Localization of BICD2 on cytoskeletal structures depended on microtubule morphology.