The Chimaerin gene is a member of the chimerin family and encodes a protein with a phorbol-ester/DAG-type zinc finger, an SH2 domain and a Rho-GAP domain. This protein has GTPase-activating protein activity which is regulated by phospholipid binding and binding of diacylglycerol (DAG) induces translocation of the protein from the cytosol to the Golgi apparatus membrane. The protein plays a role in the proliferation and migration of smooth muscle cells. Increased expression of this gene is associated with lymphomas and decreased expression of this gene is associated with high-grade gliomas and breast tumors. Mutations in this gene have been associated with schizophrenia in men. Alternate transcriptional splice variants, encoding different isoforms, have been characterized.
