Catching a GEF by its tail

R García-Mata, K Burridge - Trends in cell biology, 2007 - cell.com
Trends in cell biology, 2007cell.com
The activation of Rho GTPases is mediated by guanine-nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs),
which catalyze the exchange of GDP for GTP. Rho-GEFs are a very diverse family, with> 70
members in humans. Bioinformatics analysis of the human Rho-GEFs shows that∼ 40%
contain a putative PDZ-binding motif at the C-terminus. PDZ domains are protein–protein
interaction domains that act as scaffolds to concentrate signaling molecules at specialized
regions in the cell. We propose that the interaction between Rho-GEFs and PDZ-domain …
The activation of Rho GTPases is mediated by guanine-nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs), which catalyze the exchange of GDP for GTP. Rho-GEFs are a very diverse family, with >70 members in humans. Bioinformatics analysis of the human Rho-GEFs shows that ∼40% contain a putative PDZ-binding motif at the C-terminus. PDZ domains are protein–protein interaction domains that act as scaffolds to concentrate signaling molecules at specialized regions in the cell. We propose that the interaction between Rho-GEFs and PDZ-domain proteins is a general mechanism that controls Rho-GEF targeting and activation, helping to restrict and concentrate the exchange activity to appropriate subcellular destinations. Here, we summarize recent data that highlight the importance of these interactions in Rho-GEF regulation.
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