Ras Homolog Gene Family, Member U (RHOU)

WRCH1, like CDC42, can activate PAK1 and JNK1 (MAPK8) and can induce filopodium formation and stress fiber dissolution. Active Wrch1 stimulated quiescent cells to reenter the cell cycle. Overexpression of Wrch1 in mouse mammary epithelial cells induced morphologic transformation that mimics Wnt1-induced transformation.

Human WRCH1 encodes a deduced 258-amino acid protein that shares 92% and 57% sequence identity with mouse Wrch1 and human CDC42, respectively. WRCH1 has features conserved among members of the Rho family of GTPases including GTP and GDP binding domains, the effector domain, and a CAAX lipid modification signal in the C terminus. Wrch1 expression is upregulated in response to a Wnt1 expressing retrovirus.