title: Similarities of Drosophila rab GTPases based on expression profiling: completion and analysis of the rab-Gal4 kit.
abstract: We recently generated rab-Gal4 lines for 25 of 29 predicted Drosophila rab GTPases. These lines provide tools for the expression of reporters, mutant rab variants or other genes, under control of the regulatory elements of individual rab loci. Here, we report the generation and characterization of the remaining four rab-Gal4 lines. Based on the completed 'rab-Gal4 kit' we performed a comparative analysis of the cellular and subcellular expression of all rab GTPases. This analysis includes the cellular expression patterns in characterized neuronal and non-neuronal cells and tissues, the subcellular localization of wild type, constitutively active and dominant negative rab GTPases and colocalization with known intracellular compartment markers. Our comparative analysis identifies all Rab GTPases that are expressed in the same cells and localize to the same intracellular compartments. Remarkably, similarities based on these criteria are typically not predicted by primary sequence homology. Hence, our findings provide an alternative basis to assess potential roles and redundancies based on expression in developing and adult cell types, compartment identity and subcellular localization.
authors: Department of Physiology, Medical Center, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, Texas, United States of America.
authors: Eugene Jennifer
authors: EJ
authors: Jin
authors: Chih-Chiang
authors: CC
authors: Chan
authors: Egemen
authors: E
authors: Agi
authors: Smita
authors: S
authors: Cherry
authors: Elizabeth
authors: E
authors: Hanacik
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Buszczak
authors: P Robin
authors: PR
authors: Hiesinger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019295:Computational Biology / Q000379:methods*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000379:methods*; D042541:Intracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D021381:Protein Transport; D020691:rab GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D020691:rab GTP-Binding Proteins