The Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP) family plays essential roles in the regulation of actin polymerization. There are five WASP family members: Wasp, N-WASP, Wave1 (WASP family verprolin-homologous protein 1), WAVE2 and WAVE3. The Wasp family proteins share a conserved C-terminal region called the verprolin homology, cofilin homology and acidic domain (1, 2).
The Wave/Scar family of proteins mediates signals to actin assembly by direct activation of the Arp2/3 complex. These proteins have been characterized as major regulators of lamellipodia formation downstream of Rac activation, and as members of large protein complexes. IT has been found that all three Scar/Wave isoforms behave similarly and are likely to participate in the same kinds of protein complexes (3).