CDC42 Binding Protein Kinase Gamma (CDC42BPg)

MRCKalpha and -beta, have been previously identified and characterized. MRCKgamma, which is functionally and structurally related to members of this kinase family. Unlike MRCKalpha and -beta, which are expressed ubiquitously, MRCKgamma mRNA was only expressed in heart and skeletal muscle.

In cultured cells, MRCKgamma showed differential expression with high levels of expression only in certain cell lines. DNA analysis showed that lack of expression is correlated with promoter DNA methylation. Significantly, agents that suppressed DNA methylation caused increases in the expression of the kinase in low-expressing cells, further supporting the notion that promoter DNA methylation plays an important role in the expression of MRCKgamma.