ECT2
Description
The ECT2 (epithelial cell transforming 2) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 3.
ECT2 is a protein encoded by the ECT2 gene in humans. It is a transforming protein related to Rho-specific exchange factors and yeast cell cycle regulators. ECT2 expression is elevated with the onset of DNA synthesis and remains elevated during G2 and M phases. High levels of ECT2 are found in cells undergoing mitosis in regenerating liver, suggesting its role in the regulation of cytokinesis.
ECT2 is a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) that catalyzes the exchange of GDP for GTP. It promotes guanine nucleotide exchange on the Rho family members of small GTPases, like RHOA, RHOC, RAC1 and CDC42. ECT2 is required for signal transduction pathways involved in the regulation of cytokinesis. It is a component of the centralspindlin complex that serves as a microtubule-dependent and Rho-mediated signaling required for the myosin contractile ring formation during the cell cycle cytokinesis. ECT2 regulates the translocation of RHOA from the central spindle to the equatorial region. It plays a role in the control of mitotic spindle assembly and regulates the activation of CDC42 in metaphase for the process of spindle fibers attachment to kinetochores before chromosome congression. ECT2 is involved in the regulation of epithelial cell polarity and participates in the formation of epithelial tight junctions in a polarity complex PARD3-PARD6-protein kinase PRKCQ-dependent manner. It plays a role in the regulation of neurite outgrowth. ECT2 inhibits phenobarbital (PB)-induced NR1I3 nuclear translocation. It stimulates the activity of RAC1 through its association with the oncogenic PARD6A-PRKCI complex in cancer cells, thereby acting to coordinately drive tumor cell proliferation and invasion. ECT2 also stimulates genotoxic stress-induced RHOB activity in breast cancer cells leading to their cell death.
ECT2 is also known as ARHGEF31.
