Ras-related protein Rab

Function

Ras-related protein Rab-11A belongs to the Rab family of the small GTPase superfamily. It is associated with both constitutive and regulated secretory pathways and with pathways regulating protein traffic. Rab cycles between an inactive GDP-bound form and an active GTP-bound form that is able to recruit to membranes different set of downstream effectors responsible for vesicle formation, movement, tethering and fusion.

Disease

Rab-11A, Rab-11B and Rab-25 are associated with Alzheimer disease, Huntington disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer^[1].

Structural highlights

Rab-11A undergoes a conformation change of two switch regions between its inactive GDP-bound structure and its active GTP-bound structure. GDP forms numerous interactions at the active site located at the surface of the protein^[2].