title: Rag GTPase in amino acid signaling.
abstract: Rag small GTPases were identified as the sixth subfamily of Ras-related GTPases. Compelling evidence suggests that Rag heterodimer (RagA/B and RagC/D) plays an important role in amino acid signaling toward mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), which is a central player in the control of cell growth in response to a variety of environmental cues, including growth factors, cellular energy/oxygen status, and amino acids. Upon amino acid stimulation, active Rag heterodimer (RagA/B(GTP)-RagC/D(GDP)) recruits mTORC1 to the lysosomal membrane where Rheb resides. In this review, we provide a current understanding on the amino acid-regulated cell growth control via Rag-mTORC1 with recently identified key players, including Ragulator, v-ATPase, and GATOR complexes. Moreover, the functions of Rag in physiological systems and in autophagy are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Research Center for Tooth and Periodontal Tissue Regeneration, School of Dentistry, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 130-701, Korea.
authors.forename: Joungmok
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Catholic University of Daegu, 13-13 Hayang-ro, Hayang-eup, Gyeongsan, 712-702, Korea. kimeunj@cu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Eunjung
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D048429:Cell Size; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D000076222:Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1; D020559:Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D055503:Protein Multimerization; D000076205:Ras Homolog Enriched in Brain Protein; D015398:Signal Transduction; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D025262:Vacuolar Proton-Translocating ATPases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000596:Amino Acids; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes; D009479:Neuropeptides; D020033:Protein Isoforms; C490211:RHEB protein, human; D000076205:Ras Homolog Enriched in Brain Protein; C577278:LAMTOR2 protein, human; D000076222:Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; C484342:RRAGA protein, human; D025262:Vacuolar Proton-Translocating ATPases; D020559:Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins
keywords: Amino acids; Cell growth; Rag; Small GTPase; mTOR