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Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Comparing the Affinity of GTPase-binding Proteins using Competition Assays
Published on: October 8, 2015
The centaurin gamma-1 GTPase-like domain functions as an NTPase
Meera Soundararajan1, Xiaowen Yang, Jonathan M Elkins
1The Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, Botnar Research Centre, Oxford OX3 7LD, UK.
Abstract:
Centaurins are a family of proteins that contain GTPase-activating protein domains, with the gamma family members containing in addition a GTPase-like domain. Centaurins reside mainly in the nucleus and are known to activate phosphoinositide 3-kinase, a key regulator of cell proliferation, motility and vesicular trafficking. In the present study, using X-ray structural analysis, enzymatic assays and nucleotide-binding studies, we show that, for CENTG1 (centaurin gamma-1) the GTPase-like domain has broader trinucleotide specificity. Alterations within the G4 motif of CENTG1 from the highly conserved NKXD found in typical GTPases to TQDR result in the loss of specificity, a lower affinity for the nucleotides and higher turnover rates. These results indicate that the centaurins could be more accurately classified as NTPases and point to alternative mechanisms of cell signalling control.
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