CDC42 Effector Protein 1 (CDC42EP1)

CDC42EP1 is a CDC42 binding protein that mediates actin cytoskeleton reorganization at the plasma membrane. The encoded protein, which is secreted, is primarily found in bone marrow. Two transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been found for this gene.

Sequence analysis predicted that the 391-amino acid serum protein lacks a signal peptide but contains a series of 8 proline/alanine repeats as well as EF-hand motifs. Southern blot analysis suggested that the MSE55 gene is conserved in primates, dogs, and ducks. Northern blot analysis detected a 2.5-kb MSE55 transcript in endothelial and K562 cells; expression was not detected in monocytic, myeloid, erythroleukemic, or lymphocytic cell lines.