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Updated: Jul 21, 2026

Comparing the Affinity of GTPase-binding Proteins using Competition Assays
Published on: October 8, 2015
Rac GTPase interacts specifically with phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase
G M Bokoch1, C J Vlahos, Y Wang
1Department of Immunology, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
Abstract:
The Rac GTP-binding proteins are members of the Rho family and regulate growth factor-stimulated actin assembly in a variety of cells. The formation of phosphorylated inositol lipids has been implicated in control of the processes initiating and regulating such actin polymerization. Associations of Rho family GTP-binding proteins with enzymes involved in lipid metabolism have been described. Here we demonstrate a direct and specific interaction of Rac proteins with phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase. This interaction is dependent upon Rac being in a GTP-bound state and requires an intact Rac effector domain. In contrast, direct binding of RhoA to PI 3-kinase could not be detected. Rac-GTP also bound to PI 3-kinase in Swiss 3T3 fibroblast and human neutrophil lysates, and increased PI 3-kinase activity became associated with Rac-GTP in platelet-derived growth factor-stimulated cells. Interaction of Rac-GTP with PI 3-kinase in vitro stimulated the activity of the enzyme by 2-9-fold. A specific interaction of active Rac with PI 3-kinase might be important in regulation of the actin cytoskeleton.
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