title: Clostridial toxins: molecular probes of Rho-dependent signaling and apoptosis.
abstract: The Rho family small GTPases are members of the Ras superfamily of small GTPases. Rho proteins were first determined to act as key regulators of many types of actin cytoskeletal-dependent cellular functions. Recent work by several investigators indicates that Rho GTPases are also critical modulators of several important intracellular and nuclear signal transduction pathways. Certain clostridial toxins and exoenzymes covalently modify, and thereby inactivate, specific types of Rho family GTPases. As such, these microbial enzymes have proven invaluable in helping to identify structural and functional attributes of Rho GTPases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville 22908, USA.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Bobak
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D008957:Models, Genetic; D015335:Molecular Probes; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013744:Tetanus Toxin / Q000737:chemistry; D014170:Transformation, Genetic; D018631:ras Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015335:Molecular Probes; D013744:Tetanus Toxin; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins; D018631:ras Proteins