CDC42 Gene

HGNC Family	Ras small GTPases superfamily
Name	cell division cycle 42
Description	The protein encoded by this gene is a small GTPase of the Rho-subfamily, which regulates signaling pathways that control diverse cellular functions including cell morphology, migration, endocytosis and cell cycle progression. This protein is highly similar to Saccharomyces cerevisiae Cdc 42, and is able to complement the yeast cdc42-1 mutant. The product of oncogene Dbl was reported to specifically catalyze the dissociation of GDP from this protein. This protein could regulate actin polymerization through its direct binding to Neural Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (N-WASP), which subsequently activates Arp2/3 complex. Alternative splicing of this gene results in multiple transcript variants. Pseudogenes of this gene have been identified on chromosomes 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 20. [provided by RefSeq, Apr 2013]
Summary	{"type": "root", "children": [{"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n CDC42 is a pivotal Rho family GTPase that orchestrates actin cytoskeletal dynamics and the establishment of cell polarity across diverse cellular contexts. It is activated downstream of various receptors – for example, the novel cannabinoid receptor GPR55, whose stimulation triggers CDC42 along with other Rho GTPases to mediate cytoskeletal remodeling."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "1"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " In migrating cells, live biosensor studies reveal that CDC42 becomes active with a distinct spatiotemporal pattern relative to RhoA, suggesting that while RhoA initiates protrusion at the cell edge, CDC42 (in concert with Rac1) reinforces and stabilizes these newly expanded regions."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "2"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " At the molecular level, CDC42 directly interacts with N‐WASP to stimulate actin polymerization and promote filopodia formation, a function central to dynamic cell motility"}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "3"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": ";."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "4"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " Moreover, through its association with scaffold proteins such as IQGAP1—which engages partners like CLIP-170—CDC42 helps target microtubule plus-end complexes to specialized cortical regions, contributing to the spatial organization required for cell polarization."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "5"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " In chemotactic cells, a cascade involving Gβγ subunits, PIXα, and PAK1 facilitates localized CDC42 activation that directs F-actin assembly at the leading edge, thereby underpinning directional sensing and migration."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "6"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " Complementing these findings, real-time biosensors have demonstrated that endogenous CDC42 activity is dynamically regulated in compartments such as the trans-Golgi network and cell periphery, correlating precisely with cycles of membrane extension and retraction."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "7"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " Pathogens can subvert this regulatory network; for instance, the Vibrio parahaemolyticus effector VopS AMPylates CDC42, thereby preventing its normal engagement with downstream effectors and leading to the collapse of the actin cytoskeleton."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "8"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " In additional regulatory roles, CDC42 participates in modulating the activity of phosphatases such as PTEN"}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "9"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": ", and, via cooperation with kinases like MRCK, contributes to myosin II-dependent contractility critical for cell motility."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "10"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " Furthermore, as part of the atypical PKC–PAR polarity complex, CDC42 is essential for organizing the cellular machinery that underlies directional migration and polarity."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "11"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " Collectively, these studies underscore CDC42’s central role as an integrator of signals that regulate actin dynamics, cell polarity, and directional movement, with broad implications for understanding normal physiology as well as pathological conditions arising from cytoskeletal dysregulation.\n "}]}, {"type": "rg", "children": [{"type": "r", "ref": 1, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "E Ryberg, N Larsson, S Sjögren, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "The orphan receptor GPR55 is a novel cannabinoid receptor."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Br J Pharmacol (2007)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1038/sj.bjp.0707460"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bjp.0707460"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "17876302"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17876302"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 2, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Matthias Machacek, Louis Hodgson, Christopher Welch, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Coordination of Rho GTPase activities during cell protrusion."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Nature (2009)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1038/nature08242"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1038/nature08242"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "19693013"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19693013"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 3, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Sharon Eden, Rajat Rohatgi, Alexandre V Podtelejnikov, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Mechanism of regulation of WAVE1-induced actin nucleation by Rac1 and Nck."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Nature (2002)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1038/nature00859"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1038/nature00859"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "12181570"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12181570"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 4, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Hsin-Yi Henry Ho, Rajat Rohatgi, Andres M Lebensohn, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Toca-1 mediates Cdc42-dependent actin nucleation by activating the N-WASP-WIP complex."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Cell (2004)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1016/j.cell.2004.06.027"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2004.06.027"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "15260990"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15260990"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 5, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Masaki Fukata, Takashi Watanabe, Jun Noritake, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Rac1 and Cdc42 capture microtubules through IQGAP1 and CLIP-170."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Cell (2002)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1016/s0092-8674(02)00800-0"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/s0092-8674(02"}, {"type": "t", "text": "00800-0) PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "12110184"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12110184"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 6, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Zhong Li, Michael Hannigan, Zhicheng Mo, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Directional sensing requires G beta gamma-mediated PAK1 and PIX alpha-dependent activation of Cdc42."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Cell (2003)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1016/s0092-8674(03)00559-2"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/s0092-8674(03"}, {"type": "t", "text": "00559-2) PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "12887923"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12887923"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 7, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Perihan Nalbant, Louis Hodgson, Vadim Kraynov, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Activation of endogenous Cdc42 visualized in living cells."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Science (2004)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1126/science.1100367"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1100367"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "15361624"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15361624"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 8, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Melanie L Yarbrough, Yan Li, Lisa N Kinch, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "AMPylation of Rho GTPases by Vibrio VopS disrupts effector binding and downstream signaling."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Science (2009)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1126/science.1166382"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1166382"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "19039103"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19039103"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 9, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Zhong Li, Xuemei Dong, Zhenglong Wang, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Regulation of PTEN by Rho small GTPases."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Nat Cell Biol (2005)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1038/ncb1236"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1038/ncb1236"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "15793569"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15793569"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 10, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Simon Wilkinson, Hugh F Paterson, Christopher J Marshall "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Cdc42-MRCK and Rho-ROCK signalling cooperate in myosin phosphorylation and cell invasion."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Nat Cell Biol (2005)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1038/ncb1230"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1038/ncb1230"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "15723050"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15723050"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 11, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Hong-Rui Wang, Yue Zhang, Barish Ozdamar, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Regulation of cell polarity and protrusion formation by targeting RhoA for degradation."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Science (2003)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1126/science.1090772"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1090772"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "14657501"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14657501"}]}]}]}
Synonyms	TKS, G25K, CDC42HS
Proteins	CDC42_HUMAN
NCBI Gene ID	998
API
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Predicted Functions
Co-expressed Genes
Expression in Tissues and Cell Lines

Functional Associations

CDC42 has 20,351 functional associations with biological entities spanning 9 categories (molecular profile, organism, functional term, phrase or reference, chemical, disease, phenotype or trait, structural feature, cell line, cell type or tissue, gene, protein or microRNA, sequence feature) extracted from 142 datasets.

Click the + buttons to view associations for CDC42 from the datasets below.

If available, associations are ranked by standardized value

Harmonizome 3.0

CDC42 Gene

Functional Associations

Please acknowledge the Harmonizome in your publications by citing the following reference(s):

	Dataset	Summary
	Achilles Cell Line Gene Essentiality Profiles	cell lines with fitness changed by CDC42 gene knockdown relative to other cell lines from the Achilles Cell Line Gene Essentiality Profiles dataset.
	Allen Brain Atlas Adult Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles	tissues with high or low expression of CDC42 gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Adult Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	Allen Brain Atlas Aging Dementia and Traumatic Brain Injury Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles	tissue samples with high or low expression of CDC42 gene relative to other tissue samples from the Allen Brain Atlas Aging Dementia and Traumatic Brain Injury Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by Microarray	tissue samples with high or low expression of CDC42 gene relative to other tissue samples from the Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by Microarray dataset.
	Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by RNA-seq	tissue samples with high or low expression of CDC42 gene relative to other tissue samples from the Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by RNA-seq dataset.
	Allen Brain Atlas Prenatal Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles	tissues with high or low expression of CDC42 gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Prenatal Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	Biocarta Pathways	pathways involving CDC42 protein from the Biocarta Pathways dataset.
	BioGPS Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles	cell lines with high or low expression of CDC42 gene relative to other cell lines from the BioGPS Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	BioGPS Human Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles	cell types and tissues with high or low expression of CDC42 gene relative to other cell types and tissues from the BioGPS Human Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	BioGPS Mouse Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles	cell types and tissues with high or low expression of CDC42 gene relative to other cell types and tissues from the BioGPS Mouse Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	Carcinogenome Chemical Perturbation Carcinogenicity Signatures	small molecule perturbations changing expression of CDC42 gene from the Carcinogenome Chemical Perturbation Carcinogenicity Signatures dataset.
	CCLE Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles	cell lines with high or low copy number of CDC42 gene relative to other cell lines from the CCLE Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset.
	CCLE Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles	cell lines with high or low expression of CDC42 gene relative to other cell lines from the CCLE Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	CCLE Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles	cell lines with CDC42 gene mutations from the CCLE Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles dataset.
	CCLE Cell Line Proteomics	Cell lines associated with CDC42 protein from the CCLE Cell Line Proteomics dataset.
	CellMarker Gene-Cell Type Associations	cell types associated with CDC42 gene from the CellMarker Gene-Cell Type Associations dataset.
	ChEA Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles	transcription factor binding site profiles with transcription factor binding evidence at the promoter of CDC42 gene from the CHEA Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset.
	ChEA Transcription Factor Targets	transcription factors binding the promoter of CDC42 gene in low- or high-throughput transcription factor functional studies from the CHEA Transcription Factor Targets dataset.
	ChEA Transcription Factor Targets 2022	transcription factors binding the promoter of CDC42 gene in low- or high-throughput transcription factor functional studies from the CHEA Transcription Factor Targets 2022 dataset.
	ClinVar Gene-Phenotype Associations 2025	phenotypes associated with CDC42 gene from the curated ClinVar Gene-Phenotype Associations 2025 dataset.
	CMAP Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Small Molecules	small molecule perturbations changing expression of CDC42 gene from the CMAP Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Small Molecules dataset.
	COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores	cellular components containing CDC42 protein from the COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores dataset.
	COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025	cellular components containing CDC42 protein from the COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 dataset.
	COMPARTMENTS Experimental Protein Localization Evidence Scores	cellular components containing CDC42 protein in low- or high-throughput protein localization assays from the COMPARTMENTS Experimental Protein Localization Evidence Scores dataset.
	COMPARTMENTS Experimental Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025	cellular components containing CDC42 protein in low- or high-throughput protein localization assays from the COMPARTMENTS Experimental Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 dataset.
	COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores	cellular components co-occuring with CDC42 protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores dataset.
	COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025	cellular components co-occuring with CDC42 protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 dataset.
	CORUM Protein Complexes	protein complexs containing CDC42 protein from the CORUM Protein Complexes dataset.
	COSMIC Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles	cell lines with high or low copy number of CDC42 gene relative to other cell lines from the COSMIC Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset.
	COSMIC Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles	cell lines with CDC42 gene mutations from the COSMIC Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles dataset.
	CTD Gene-Chemical Interactions	chemicals interacting with CDC42 gene/protein from the curated CTD Gene-Chemical Interactions dataset.
	CTD Gene-Disease Associations	diseases associated with CDC42 gene/protein from the curated CTD Gene-Disease Associations dataset.
	dbGAP Gene-Trait Associations	traits associated with CDC42 gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the dbGAP Gene-Trait Associations dataset.
	DeepCoverMOA Drug Mechanisms of Action	small molecule perturbations with high or low expression of CDC42 protein relative to other small molecule perturbations from the DeepCoverMOA Drug Mechanisms of Action dataset.
	DISEASES Curated Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores 2025	diseases involving CDC42 gene from the DISEASES Curated Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores 2025 dataset.
	DISEASES Experimental Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores	diseases associated with CDC42 gene in GWAS datasets from the DISEASES Experimental Gene-Disease Assocation Evidence Scores dataset.
	DISEASES Experimental Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores 2025	diseases associated with CDC42 gene in GWAS datasets from the DISEASES Experimental Gene-Disease Assocation Evidence Scores 2025 dataset.
	DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores	diseases co-occuring with CDC42 gene in abstracts of biomedical publications from the DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Assocation Evidence Scores dataset.
	DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores 2025	diseases co-occuring with CDC42 gene in abstracts of biomedical publications from the DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Assocation Evidence Scores 2025 dataset.
	DisGeNET Gene-Disease Associations	diseases associated with CDC42 gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the DisGeNET Gene-Disease Associations dataset.