The Grb7 family proteins: structure, interactions with other signaling molecules and potential cellular functions

Grb7 family adaptor molecules consist of Grb7, Grb10 and Grb14, each of which has several splicing variants. Like other adaptor molecules, Grb7 family proteins function to mediate the coupling of multiple cell surface receptors to downstream signaling pathways in the regulation of various cellular functions. They share significant sequence homology with each other and a conserved molecular architecture including an amino-terminal proline-rich region, a central segment termed the GM region (for Grb and Mig) which includes a PH domain and shares sequence homology with the Caenorhabditis elegans protein, Mig-10, involved in embryonic migration, and a carboxyl-terminal SH2 domain. Grb7 family proteins are differentially expressed in a variety of tissues. They are phosphorylated on serine/threonine as well as tyrosine residues, although the kinases responsible have not been well characterized. Grb7 family proteins are mainly localized in the cytoplasm, but have been observed at the plasma membrane, focal contacts, or mitochondria under certain conditions. A large number of receptor tyrosine kinases and other signaling molecules can associate with Grb7 family proteins, mostly through the SH2 domains. Various isoforms of Grb10 have been shown to regulate cell proliferation and apoptosis, whereas Grb7 has been found to regulate cell migration and also implicated in tumor progression. Future studies of interests will include identification of potential downstream effectors of Grb7 family proteins as well as understanding of the mechanisms of specificity of the different family members in signal transduction.