title: GEF means go: turning on RHO GTPases with guanine nucleotide-exchange factors.
abstract: Guanine nucleotide-exchange factors (GEFs) are directly responsible for the activation of Rho-family GTPases in response to diverse extracellular stimuli, and ultimately regulate numerous cellular responses such as proliferation, differentiation and movement. With 69 distinct homologues, Dbl-related GEFs represent the largest family of direct activators of Rho GTPases in humans, and they activate Rho GTPases within particular spatio-temporal contexts. The failure to do so can have significant consequences and is reflected in the aberrant function of Dbl-family GEFs in some human diseases.
authors.affiliation: Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA.
authors.forename: Kent L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Rossman
authors.forename: Channing J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Der
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sondek
mesh_terms: D000495:Allosteric Site; D000818:Animals; D020662:Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000737:chemistry; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D011485:Protein Binding; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D015398:Signal Transduction; D020666:ras-GRF1 / Q000737:chemistry; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D020662:Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors; D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D020666:ras-GRF1; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins