Function
Ras-related protein Rab 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.
- Rab-1A is required in stress-induced autophagy[1].
- Rab-1B is required for secretion.
- Rab-2B regulates Golgi morphology[2].
- Rab-3A is abundant in the brain and plays a role in recruitment of synaptic vesicles for exocytosis[3].
- Rab-3B is essential for the transportation and secretion within cells and its expression is linked to progression of various malignancies[4].
- Rab-3C promotes vesicle formation and packaging[5].
- Rab-3D regulates intracellular vesicle transport during exocytosis[6].
- Rab-4 regulates recycling vesicle formation[7].
- Rab-5A regulates early endoscope fusion[8].
- Rab-6A regulates vesicular trafficking within the Golgi and non-Golgi compartments[9].
- Rab-7A organises the endosomal-lysosomal system[10].
- Rab-8A is the mitochondrial receptor for lipid droplets in muscle[11].
Disease
Rab-11A, Rab-11B and Rab-25 are associated with Alzheimer disease, Huntington disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer[12].
Structural highlights
Rab-11A undergoes a conformation change of between its inactive GDP-bound structure and its active GTP-bound structure. located at the surface of the protein[13]. Water molecules are shown as red spheres.
Ras-related protein Rab 3D structures
