title: GEFs and GAPs: critical elements in the control of small G proteins.
abstract: Guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) and GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) regulate the activity of small guanine nucleotide-binding (G) proteins to control cellular functions. In general, GEFs turn on signaling by catalyzing the exchange from G-protein-bound GDP to GTP, whereas GAPs terminate signaling by inducing GTP hydrolysis. GEFs and GAPs are multidomain proteins that are regulated by extracellular signals and localized cues that control cellular events in time and space. Recent evidence suggests that these proteins may be potential therapeutic targets for developing drugs to treat various diseases, including cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Chemistry and Centre of Biomedical Genetics, UMC Utrecht Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands. j.l.bos@umcutrecht.nl
authors.forename: Johannes L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Bos
authors.forename: Holger
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rehmann
authors.forename: Alfred
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wittinghofer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020690:GTPase-Activating Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D020662:Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D020559:Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D020690:GTPase-Activating Proteins; D020662:Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors; D020559:Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins