Capping Protein, Gelsolin Like (CAPG)

CAPG encodes a member of the gelsolin/villin family of actin-regulatory proteins. The encoded protein reversibly blocks the barbed ends of F-actin filaments in a Ca2+ and phosphoinositide-regulated manner, but does not sever preformed actin filaments. By capping the barbed ends of actin filaments, the encoded protein contributes to the control of actin-based motility in non-muscle cells. Alternatively spliced transcript variants have been observed, but have not been fully described.This protein, first purified from rabbit alveolar macrophages, was named macrophage capping protein. The protein was subsequently renamed Cap G (gene symbol CAPG). 'Cap' was chosen because unlike other members of the gelsolin/villin family, this protein caps the barbed ends of actin filaments but does not sever them.