Although direct regulation of actin-associated proteins by MELK has not been reported, evidence from colorectal cancer cells indicates that MELK knockdown significantly reduces RhoA activity without affecting Rac1 or Cdc42 (Du et al., 2014), suggesting that MELK may influence cytoskeletal organization through the RhoA pathway and thereby modulate YAP/TAZ activation. The gene discussed is MELK; the disease is colorectal cancer.