title: Structural mechanisms for regulation of membrane traffic by rab GTPases.
abstract: In all eukaryotic organisms, Rab GTPases function as critical regulators of membrane traffic, organelle biogenesis and maturation, and related cellular processes. The numerous Rab proteins have distinctive yet overlapping subcellular distributions throughout the endomembrane system. Intensive investigation has clarified the underlying molecular and structural mechanisms for several ubiquitous Rab proteins that control membrane traffic between tubular-vesicular organelles in the exocytic, endocytic and recycling pathways. In this review, we focus on structural insights that inform our current understanding of the organization of the Rab family as well as the mechanisms for membrane targeting and activation, interaction with effectors, deactivation and specificity determination.
authors.affiliation: Program in Molecular Medicine and Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.
authors.forename: Meng-Tse Gabe
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ashwini
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.forename: David G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Lambright
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D010802:Phylogeny; D011487:Protein Conformation; D021381:Protein Transport; D020691:rab GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D020691:rab GTP-Binding Proteins