Neural precursor cell expressed, developmentally down-regulated 1, also known as Nedd1, is a human gene

Gene

A gene is a molecular unit of heredity of a living organism. It is a name given to some stretches of DNA and RNA that code for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. Living beings depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains...

 
and encodes the protein NEDD1.

NEDD1 is localized in the centrosome

Centrosome

In cell biology, the centrosome is an organelle that serves as the main microtubule organizing center of the animal cell as well as a regulator of cell-cycle progression. It was discovered by Edouard Van Beneden in 1883...

 and it plays a role in mitosis

Mitosis

Mitosis is the process by which a eukaryotic cell separates the chromosomes in its cell nucleus into two identical sets, in two separate nuclei. It is generally followed immediately by cytokinesis, which divides the nuclei, cytoplasm, organelles and cell membrane into two cells containing roughly...

 through its interaction with γ-tubulin. WD40 repeat

WD40 repeat

The WD40 repeat is a short structural motif of approximately 40 amino acids , often terminating in a tryptophan-aspartic acid dipeptide...

s are located in the amino-terminal of the protein and are responsible for NEDD1 localization in the centrosome, and the carboxy-terminal amino acids are needed for interactions with γ-tubulin. Depletion of NEDD1 causes impaired centrosome and chromatin microtubules assembly that results in the failure of microtubule nucleation and prevents proper spindle formation.

Further reading