Rab Proteins and the Compartmentalization of the Endosomal System
- 1Department of Pathology MSC08 4640, University of New Mexico HSC, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131
- 2Max Planck Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Correspondence: wness{at}unm.edu; zerial{at}mpi-cbg.de
Abstract
Of the approximately 70 human Rab GTPases, nearly three-quarters are involved in endocytic trafficking. Significant plasticity in endosomal membrane transport pathways is closely coupled to receptor signaling and Rab GTPase-regulated scaffolds. Here we review current literature pertaining to endocytic Rab GTPase localizations, functions, and coordination with regulatory proteins and effectors. The roles of Rab GTPases in (1) compartmentalization of the endocytic pathway into early, recycling, late, and lysosomal routes; (2) coordination of individual transport steps from vesicle budding to fusion; (3) effector interactomes; and (4) integration of GTPase and signaling cascades are discussed.
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