Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Rab Proteins01:14

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...
Conservation of Protein Domains Over Different Proteins02:26

Conservation of Protein Domains Over Different Proteins

Protein domains are small structurally independent units that are part of a single amino acid chain.  Although these domains are often structurally independent, they may rely on synergistic effects to perform their functions as part of a larger protein. Protein domains may be conserved within the same organism, as well as across different organisms.
A limited set of protein domains often duplicate and recombine during evolution. These domains can be organized in different combinations to form...
Regulation of Nuclear Protein Sorting01:45

Regulation of Nuclear Protein Sorting

Nuclear protein sorting regulates nucleus composition and gene expression, crucial for determining the fate of a eukaryotic cell. Hence, the entry and exit of molecules across the nuclear envelope is a tightly controlled process. Nuclear protein sorting can be inhibited by one of the following ways: 1) masking cargo signal sequences, 2) modifying the nuclear receptor's affinity for cargo, 3) controlling the nuclear pore size, 4) retaining the cargo during its transit to the cytosol or the...
Rab Cascades01:25

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.
Mechanical Protein Functions01:58

Mechanical Protein Functions

Proteins perform many mechanical functions in a cell. These proteins can be classified into two general categories- proteins that generate mechanical forces and proteins that are subjected to mechanical forces. Proteins providing mechanical support to the structure of the cell, such as keratin, are subjected to mechanical force, whereas proteins involved in cell movement and transport of molecules across cell membranes, such as an ion pump, are examples of generating mechanical force. 
Directing Proteins to the Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum01:34

Directing Proteins to the Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum

The organelle-specific signaling sequences direct proteins synthesized in the cytosol to their final destination like ER, mitochondria, peroxisomes, etc. Some of the proteins directed to ER are then trafficked via vesicles to other organelles within the cell or the extracellular environment through the Golgi complex. For example, the rough ER synthesizes soluble proteins for transportation to the lysosomes or secretion out of the cell. It can also synthesize transmembrane proteins that can...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Neuromuscular junction dysfunction in a subset of Charcot-Marie Tooth and related peripheral neuropathies mouse models.

Neurobiology of disease·2026
Same author

Assessing vision and autism spectrum disorder-relevant social interaction phenotypes in Dscam mice.

Behavioural brain research·2026
Same author

Kinetochore proteins control microtubule dynamics in postmitotic neurons to regulate the formation of dendritic spines.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

Dysregulated lactate metabolism synergizes with ALS genetic risk factors to accelerate motor decline.

PloS one·2026
Same author

SARM1 executes neuronal parthanatos and promotes excitotoxic cell death.

Neuron·2026
Same author

A mouse model of autosomal dominant spastic ataxia and myopathy caused by a mutation in <i>Tuba4a</i>.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same journal

Fast-conducting mechanonociceptors uniquely engage reflexive and affective pain circuitry to drive protective responses.

Neuron·2026
Same journal

Sparse component analysis: A method that uncovers separable computations within neural population activity.

Neuron·2026
Same journal

Spatiomolecular mapping reveals anatomical organization of heterogeneous cell types in the human nucleus accumbens.

Neuron·2026
Same journal

TGF-β1-induced endothelial transcytosis drives blood-brain barrier leakage during aging.

Neuron·2026
Same journal

Image space opens up for visual neuroscience.

Neuron·2026
Same journal

Septal GLP-1 receptors control alcohol taking and seeking.

Neuron·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Spatio-Temporal Manipulation of Small GTPase Activity at Subcellular Level and on Timescale of Seconds in Living Cells
10:27

Spatio-Temporal Manipulation of Small GTPase Activity at Subcellular Level and on Timescale of Seconds in Living Cells

Published on: March 9, 2012

Rab3 dynamically controls protein composition at active zones.

Ethan R Graf1, Richard W Daniels, Robert W Burgess

  • 1Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA.

Neuron
|December 17, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The small GTPase Rab3 regulates the distribution of presynaptic proteins to active zones. In rab3 mutants, key release machinery is concentrated, but Rab3 can dynamically recruit these proteins to sites lacking them.

More Related Videos

The Development and Application of Biophysical Assays for Evaluating Ternary Complex Formation Induced by Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACS)
07:22

The Development and Application of Biophysical Assays for Evaluating Ternary Complex Formation Induced by Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACS)

Published on: January 12, 2024

Comparing the Affinity of GTPase-binding Proteins using Competition Assays
10:37

Comparing the Affinity of GTPase-binding Proteins using Competition Assays

Published on: October 8, 2015

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Spatio-Temporal Manipulation of Small GTPase Activity at Subcellular Level and on Timescale of Seconds in Living Cells
10:27

Spatio-Temporal Manipulation of Small GTPase Activity at Subcellular Level and on Timescale of Seconds in Living Cells

Published on: March 9, 2012

The Development and Application of Biophysical Assays for Evaluating Ternary Complex Formation Induced by Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACS)
07:22

The Development and Application of Biophysical Assays for Evaluating Ternary Complex Formation Induced by Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACS)

Published on: January 12, 2024

Comparing the Affinity of GTPase-binding Proteins using Competition Assays
10:37

Comparing the Affinity of GTPase-binding Proteins using Competition Assays

Published on: October 8, 2015

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Synaptic transmission relies on precise localization of presynaptic release machinery at active zones.
  • The abundance of synaptic proteins at release sites influences synaptic efficacy.
  • Mechanisms governing this localization are crucial for understanding synaptic function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of the small GTPase Rab3 in regulating the distribution of presynaptic components.
  • To determine if Rab3 influences the localization of Bruchpilot, calcium channels, and T bars at active zones.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized Drosophila melanogaster neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) to study rab3 mutant phenotypes.
  • Examined the localization of presynaptic proteins Bruchpilot (Brp) and calcium channels in wild-type and rab3 mutant NMJs.
  • Observed the dynamic effects of Rab3 reintroduction on protein localization in mutant NMJs.

Main Results:

  • In rab3 mutant NMJs, presynaptic proteins like Bruchpilot, calcium channels, and T bars were concentrated at a subset of active zones.
  • The majority of active zones in rab3 mutants lacked these essential presynaptic release components.
  • Rapid recruitment of Bruchpilot to previously devoid sites was observed upon late addition of Rab3, indicating dynamic control.

Conclusions:

  • Rab3 plays a critical, previously unrecognized role in the localization of presynaptic proteins to active zones.
  • This function of Rab3 extends beyond its known role in the synaptic vesicle cycle.
  • Rab3 dynamically controls the composition of the presynaptic release machinery at active zones.