Arf GTP-binding proteins and membrane traffic

National Heart, Lung, And Blood Institute

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Abstract

We continue to examine how Arf6 functions at the plasma membrane to regulate cell surface structure and membrane traffic. GTP-binding proteins like Arf6 cycle between GTP-bound, active and GDP-bound, inactive forms. Sutdies examining roles for Arf GEFs and GAPs are ongoing. Activation of Arfs is catalyzed by guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) and inactivation catalyzed by GTPase activating proteins (GAPs). Our surprising finding that Arf6-GTP recruits a family of Arf GEFs to the cell surface and leads to the increased activation of Arf1 there has led us to examine in more detail possible roles for Golgi-associated Arfs at the cell surface.