Ched: Cholinesterase-related cell division controller (vertebrates)

Cholinesterase-related cell division controller (Ched) DNA was cloned by chance when a human glioblastoma cDNA library was screened with butylcholinesterase-specific oligodeoxynucleotide probes. A complete cDNA was found to encode a homologue of Cdc2 and other members of the Cdc2 subfamily. Expression of Ched antisense oligonucleotides in differentiating murine bone marrow cells reduced the proportion of late, polynuclear, mature megakaryocytes, suggesting a possible role for Ched in hematopoiesis. Ched has longer N- and C-terminal extensions than other members of the Cdc2 subfamily. Within the kinase domain, Ched is 34%–42% identical to Cdc2, SpCdc2, and Cdc28. Ched mRNA was detected on Northern blots in human fetal brain, liver, and muscle, and neuroblastoma and glioblastoma tumors.