BCAS3 microtubule associated cell migration factor (BCAS3, also known as Rhudira in mice) is involved in angiogenesis and metastasis [1,2]. It participates in the regulation of cell polarity and directional endothelial cell migration by mediating both the activation and recruitment of CDC42 and and the reorganisation of the actin cytoskeleton at the cell leading edge [2]. BCAS3 plays a regulatory role in autophagic activity; it forms a complex with PHAF1 (C16orf70) which associates with the preautophagosomal structure during both non-selective and selective autophagy [1]. This is the WD40 repeat domain of BCAS3, which directly binds phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate [1]. This domain is also found in ATG18-like proteins from Arabidopsis.

1: Mammalian BCAS3 and C16orf70 associate with the phagophore assembly site in response to selective and non-selective autophagy. Kojima W, Yamano K, Kosako H, Imai K, Kikuchi R, Tanaka K, Matsuda N; Autophagy. 2021; [Epub ahead of print] PMID:33499712

2: Rudhira/BCAS3 is a cytoskeletal protein that controls Cdc42 activation and directional cell migration during angiogenesis. Jain M, Bhat GP, Vijayraghavan K, Inamdar MS; Exp Cell Res. 2012;318:753-767. PMID:22300583