The mammalian NudC-like genes: a family with functions other than regulating nuclear distribution.

Nuclear distribution gene C homolog (NudC) is a highly conserved gene. It has been identified in different species from fungi to mammals. The high degree of conservation, in special in the nudC domain, suggests that they are genes with essential functions. Most of the identified genes in the family have been implicated in cell division through the regulation of cytoplasmic dynein. As for mammalian genes, human NUDC has been implicated in the migration and proliferation of tumor cells and has therefore been considered a possible therapeutic target. There is evidence suggesting that mammalian NudC is also implicated in the regulation of the inflammatory response and in thrombopoiesis. The presence of these other functions not related to the interaction with molecular motors agrees with that these genes and their products are larger in size than their microbial orthologous, indicating that they have evolved to convey additional features.