Early onset or syndromic epilepsy

Gene: CDC42BPB

Comment on phenotypes: OMIM phenotype accessed on 24th Feb 2026.

Created: 24 Feb 2026, 10:45 a.m. | Last Modified: 24 Feb 2026, 10:45 a.m.

Panel Version: 8.120

Comment on mode of inheritance: Unknown mode of inheritance has been assigned as the majority of variants in this gene (11/14) in PMID 32031333 are de novo.

Created: 9 Jun 2020, 2:30 p.m. | Last Modified: 9 Jun 2020, 2:30 p.m.

Panel Version: 2.92

Comment on list classification: Not associated with phenotype in OMIM and as possible Gen2Phen gene. At least 12 variants reported in 14 unrelated cases of CDC42BPB-related Neurodevelopmental Disorder. Seizures were apparent in 3/12 cases and all of these cases were de novo, however, one of these cases also had a 290Kb deletion at
13q12.11.

Created: 8 Jun 2020, 6:09 p.m. | Last Modified: 9 Jun 2020, 2:34 p.m.

Panel Version: 2.93

Comment on phenotypes: CDC42BPB-related Neurodevelopmental Disorder is assigned by Gen2Phen.

Created: 8 Jun 2020, 5:19 p.m. | Last Modified: 8 Jun 2020, 5:19 p.m.

Panel Version: 2.90

I don't know

Chilton et al (2020 - PMID: 32031333) report on 14 individuals with missense and loss-of-function CDC42BPB variants.

Features included hypotonia (8/11), DD (12/13 - the 14th was a fetus), ID (7/13), ASD (8/12), clinical seizures (in 3 - a 4th had abnormal EEG without seizures), behavioral abnormalities. Variable non-specific dysmorphic features were reported in some (sparse hair being the most frequent - 4/8). Additional features were observed in few (=<4) incl. cryptorchidism, ophthalmological issues, constipation, kidney abnormalities, micropenis, etc.

All individuals had non-diagnostic prior genetic testing (incl. CMA, FMR1, MECP2, Angelman/Prader-Willi methylation studies, autism gene panel - suggesting relevance to the current panel) or metabolic testing.

Variants were identified following clinical exome sequencing with Sanger confirmation. Most occurred as de novo events (11/14) while inheritance was not available for few (3/14). Missense variants did not display (particular) clustering.

Almost all variants were absent from gnomAD and were predicted to be deleterious in silico (among others almost all had CADD scores >25).

As the authors comment, CDC42BPB encodes myotonic dystrophy-related Cdc42-binding kinase β (MRCKβ) a serine/threonine protein kinase playing a role in regulation of cytoskeletal reorganization and cell migration in nonmuscle cells (through phosporylation of MLC2).

Previous studies have demonstrated that it is ubiquitously expressed with prenatal brain expression.

The gene appears to be intolerant to pLoF (pLI of 1) as well as to missense variants (Z-score of 3.66).

CDC42BPB is a downstream effector of CDC42. Mutations of the latter cause Takenouchi-Kosaki syndrome with DD/ID and some further overlapping features (with CDC42BPB-associated phenotypes).

Homozygous Cdc42bpb KO in mouse appears to be nonviable (MGI:2136459). Loss of gek in the eyes of Drosophila results in disrupted growth cone targeting to the lamina (gek is the fly CDC42BPB ortholog).
Sources: Literature

Created: 6 May 2020, 3:22 p.m.

Mode of inheritance
MONOALLELIC, autosomal or pseudoautosomal, imprinted status unknown

Phenotypes
Central hypotonia; Global developmental delay; Intellectual disability; Seizures; Autistic behavior; Behavioral abnormality

Publications

• 32031333