Background of the antigen
Microtubules are components of the Actin cytoskeleton that play crucial roles in cell morphogenesis, cell motility, spindle formation and chromosome movements. Echinoderm microtubule-associated (EML) proteins function to modify the assembly dynamics of microtubules. EML4 (Echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4), also known as EMAPL4, ELP120, C2orf2 or ROPP120, is a 981 amino acid cytoplasmic protein that contains nine WD repeats. Expressed at high levels during mitosis, EML4 is thought to modify the assembly dynamics of microtubules, specifically altering microtubules to become longer and more flexible. Due to a chromosomal inversion with chromosome 2p, EML4 may exist as a fusion protein with ALK (anaplastic lymphoma receptor tyrosine kinase), producing an EML4-ALK fusion complex that plays a role in the pathogenesis of lung cancer.