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GTPases and their Regulation

GTPases and their Regulation

Guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G-proteins), also known as GTPases, are a superfamily of proteins that regulate many cellular processes, such as cell signaling, vesicular transport, and the regulation of cell shape and motility. Mutation or dysfunction of these proteins can lead to disease. There are around 40,000 known G-proteins that can broadly be classified into two groups ‒ small G-proteins consisting of a single domain and large multi-domain G-proteins.
Large G-proteins, also known...

Rab Proteins

Rab Proteins

Rab proteins constitute the largest family of monomeric GTPases, of which 70 members are present in humans. Rab proteins and their effectors regulate consecutive stages of vesicle transport such as vesicle transport, docking, and fusion to the correct recipient membrane.
Rab proteins switch between a cytosolic, GDP-bound inactive state and a membrane-anchored, GTP-bound active state. By themselves, Rabs show slow rates of GDP/GTP exchange and GTP hydrolysis. Thus, Rab proteins are considered...

Cell Polarization by Rho Proteins

Cell Polarization by Rho Proteins

Cell polarity is the asymmetric distribution of cellular and membrane components, making one side of the cell different from the other. This polarity is essential to many processes such as embryogenesis, axon migration, glucose transport across epithelial cells, and directional cell migration. A migrating cell responds to intracellular or extracellular signals via molecular cascades that reorganize the actin cytoskeleton to establish this polarity. In these cells, the Rho family proteins Cdc42,...

GTPases and their Regulation

GTPases and their Regulation

Guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G-proteins), also known as GTPases, are a superfamily of proteins that regulate many cellular processes, such as cell signaling, vesicular transport, and the regulation of cell shape and motility. Mutation or dysfunction of these proteins can lead to disease. There are around 40,000 known G-proteins that can broadly be classified into two groups ‒ small G-proteins consisting of a single domain and large multi-domain G-proteins.
Large G-proteins, also known...

Rab Cascades

Rab Cascades

Rab GTPases act in a regulated cascade during membrane fusion, helping the lipid bilayers mix. The Rab family of proteins are active when bound to GTP, and inactive when bound to GDP. Hence, they act as guanine nucleotide-dependent molecular switches. Rab-GTP recognizes and binds to long or short-range tethering proteins to capture the target vesicle. These tethers coordinate with SNAREs on the vesicle and the target membrane to assemble the trans SNARE complex that locks the mixing bilayers.

Small GTPases - Ras and Rho

Small GTPases - Ras and Rho

Ras and Rho are small monomeric GTPases that act downstream of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) and regulate various cellular processes. These GTPases switch between active and inactive states by binding to guanine nucleotides.
Three regulatory proteins control their activity:

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 21, 2026

"Phagosome Closure Assay" to Visualize Phagosome Formation in Three Dimensions Using Total Internal Reflection Fluorescent Microscopy (TIRFM)

"Phagosome Closure Assay" to Visualize Phagosome Formation in Three Dimensions Using Total Internal Reflection Fluorescent Microscopy (TIRFM)

Published on: August 26, 2016

Regulation of phagocytosis by Rho GTPases.

F Niedergang¹, P Chavrier

¹Membrane and Cytoskeleton Dynamics Group, Institut Curie, CNRS UMR144, 75248 Paris, France.

Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology

|June 29, 2005

Summary

Phagocytosis is a key cellular process involving particle internalization by immune cells. Rho family GTPases are crucial regulators of the actin cytoskeleton rearrangements essential for this process.

Area of Science:

Immunology
Cell Biology
Biochemistry

Background:

Phagocytosis is a vital cellular mechanism for immune cells like macrophages, dendritic cells, and neutrophils.
This process involves the internalization, degradation, and presentation of particulate antigens.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the critical role of Rho family GTPases in phagocytosis.
To highlight how these proteins regulate actin cytoskeleton dynamics during particle uptake.

Main Methods:

Literature review focusing on recent advancements in phagocytosis research.
Analysis of studies investigating the involvement of Rho GTPases and their effectors.

Main Results:

Phagocytosis is initiated by receptor-ligand recognition, leading to signaling cascades.

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 21, 2026

"Phagosome Closure Assay" to Visualize Phagosome Formation in Three Dimensions Using Total Internal Reflection Fluorescent Microscopy (TIRFM)

"Phagosome Closure Assay" to Visualize Phagosome Formation in Three Dimensions Using Total Internal Reflection Fluorescent Microscopy (TIRFM)

Published on: August 26, 2016

Time-lapse 3D Imaging of Phagocytosis by Mouse Macrophages

Time-lapse 3D Imaging of Phagocytosis by Mouse Macrophages

Published on: October 19, 2018

Investigating the Phagocytosis of Leishmania using Confocal Microscopy

Investigating the Phagocytosis of Leishmania using Confocal Microscopy

Published on: July 29, 2021

Rho family GTPases, their activators, and effectors are central to actin reorganization during phagocytosis.

Diverse mechanisms and structures are involved in particle ingestion, influenced by particle and receptor types.

Conclusions:

Rho family GTPases are indispensable for orchestrating the actin cytoskeleton remodeling required for phagocytosis.
Understanding these molecular mechanisms provides insights into immune cell function and antigen presentation.