Regulation of endocytosis by the small GTP-ase rab5.
Rab5 is a small GTPase associated with the plasma membrane and the early endosomes. Expression of wild type rab5 and a mutant protein defective in GTP-binding in BHK cells led to alterations in the rate of endocytosis and in the morphology of endocytic organelles. The results obtained suggest that rab5 is a rate limiting GTPase that regulate the kinetics of both lateral fusion of early endosomes and fusion of plasma membrane-derived endocytic vesicles with early endosomes.
Zerial
M
M
European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany.
D000818:Animals; D001709:Biotechnology; D002460:Cell Line; D006224:Cricetinae; D004705:Endocytosis / Q000502:physiology*; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008561:Membrane Fusion / Q000502:physiology; D009154:Mutation; D020696:rab5 GTP-Binding Proteins
D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins; D020696:rab5 GTP-Binding Proteins