Rab effector protein acting as linker between gamma-adaptin, RAB4A or RAB5A. Involved in endocytic membrane fusion and membrane trafficking of recycling endosomes. Stimulates nucleotide exchange on RAB5A. Can act as a ubiquitin ligase (By similarity).
Rab GTPases are central elements of the vesicular transport machinery. An emerging view is that downstream effectors of these GTPases are multiprotein complexes that include nucleotide exchange factors to ensure coupling between GTPase activation and effector function. We have previously shown that Rab5, which regulates various steps of transport along the early endocytic pathway, is activated by a complex consisting of Rabex-5, a Rab5 nucleotide exchange factor, and the effector Rabaptin-5. We postulated that the physical association of these two proteins is necessary for their activity in Rab5-dependent endocytic membrane transport. To evaluate the functional implications of such complex formation, we have reconstituted it with the use of recombinant proteins and characterized its properties. First, we show that Rabaptin-5 increases the exchange activity of Rabex-5 on Rab5. Second, Rab5-dependent recruitment of Rabaptin-5 to early endosomes is completely dependent on its physical association with Rabex-5. Third, complex formation between Rabaptin-5 and Rabex-5 is essential for early endosome homotypic fusion. These results reveal a functional synergy between Rabaptin-5 and Rabex-5 in the complex and have implications for the function of analogous complexes for Rab and Rho GTPases.
The Rab5 GTPase, an essential regulator of endocytosis and endosome biogenesis, is activated by guanine-nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) that contain a Vps9 domain. Here, we show that the catalytic core of the Rab GEF Rabex-5 has a tandem architecture consisting of a Vps9 domain stabilized by an indispensable helical bundle. A family-wide analysis of Rab specificity demonstrates high selectivity for Rab5 subfamily GTPases. Conserved exchange determinants map to a common surface of the Vps9 domain, which recognizes invariant aromatic residues in the switch regions of Rab GTPases and selects for the Rab5 subfamily by requiring a small nonacidic residue preceding a critical phenylalanine in the switch I region. These and other observations reveal unexpected similarity with the Arf exchange site in the Sec7 domain.
The small GTPase Rab5 plays an essential role in endocytic traffic. Rab GDP dissociation inhibitor delivers Rab5 to the membrane, where a nucleotide exchange activity allows recruitment of an effector protein, Rabaptin-5. Here we uncovered a novel 60 kDa Rab5-binding protein, Rabex-5. Rabex-5 forms a tight physical complex with Rabaptin-5, and this complex is essential for endocytic membrane fusion. Sequencing of mammalian Rabex-5 by nanoelectrospray mass spectrometry and cloning revealed striking homology to Vps9p, a yeast protein implicated in endocytic traffic. Rabex-5 displays GDP/GTP exchange activity on Rab5 upon delivery of the GTPase to the membrane. This demonstrates that a soluble exchange factor coupled to a Rab effector translocates from cytosol to the membrane, where the complex stabilizes the GTPase in the active state.
Interacting selectively and non-covalently with any protein or protein complex (a complex of two or more proteins that may include other nonprotein molecules).
Evidence
1:
Inferred from Physical InteractionIntAct
Systematic mapping of protein-protein interactions, or 'interactome' mapping, was initiated in model organisms, starting with defined biological processes and then expanding to the scale of the proteome. Although far from complete, such maps have revealed global topological and dynamic features of interactome networks that relate to known biological properties, suggesting that a human interactome map will provide insight into development and disease mechanisms at a systems level. Here we describe an initial version of a proteome-scale map of human binary protein-protein interactions. Using a stringent, high-throughput yeast two-hybrid system, we tested pairwise interactions among the products of approximately 8,100 currently available Gateway-cloned open reading frames and detected approximately 2,800 interactions. This data set, called CCSB-HI1, has a verification rate of approximately 78% as revealed by an independent co-affinity purification assay, and correlates significantly with other biological attributes. The CCSB-HI1 data set increases by approximately 70% the set of available binary interactions within the tested space and reveals more than 300 new connections to over 100 disease-associated proteins. This work represents an important step towards a systematic and comprehensive human interactome project.
Evidence
2:
Inferred from Physical InteractionUniProtKB
RABEX-5 and other exchange factors with VPS9 domains regulate endocytic trafficking through activation of the Rab family GTPases RAB5, RAB21 and RAB22. Here we report the crystal structure of the RABEX-5 catalytic core in complex with nucleotide-free RAB21, a key intermediate in the exchange reaction pathway. The structure reveals how VPS9 domain exchange factors recognize Rab GTPase substrates, accelerate GDP release and stabilize the nucleotide-free conformation. We further identify an autoinhibitory element in a predicted amphipathic helix located near the C terminus of the VPS9 domain. The autoinhibitory element overlaps with the binding site for the multivalent effector RABAPTIN-5 and potently suppresses the exchange activity of RABEX-5. Autoinhibition can be partially reversed by mutation of conserved residues on the nonpolar face of the predicted amphipathic helix or by assembly of the complex with RABAPTIN-5.
Evidence
3:
Inferred from Physical InteractionIntAct
The interaction between ubiquitinated proteins and intracellular proteins harboring ubiquitin binding domains (UBDs) is critical to a multitude of cellular processes. Here, we report that Rabex-5, a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for Rab5, binds to Ub through two independent UBDs. These UBDs determine a number of properties of Rabex-5, including its coupled monoubiquitination and interaction in vivo with ubiquitinated EGFRs. Structural and biochemical characterization of the UBDs of Rabex-5 revealed that one of them (MIU, motif interacting with ubiquitin) binds to Ub with modes superimposable to those of the UIM (ubiquitin-interacting motif):Ub interaction, although in the opposite orientation. The other UBD, RUZ (Rabex-5 ubiquitin binding zinc finger) binds to a surface of Ub centered on Asp58(Ub) and distinct from the "canonical" Ile44(Ub)-based surface. The two binding surfaces allow Ub to interact simultaneously with different UBDs, thus opening new perspectives in Ub-mediated signaling.
Stimulates the exchange of guanyl nucleotides associated with a GTPase of the Rab family. Under normal cellular physiological conditions, the concentration of GTP is higher than that of GDP, favoring the replacement of GDP by GTP in association with the GTPase.
A key requirement for Rab function in membrane trafficking is site-specific activation by GDP-GTP exchange factors (GEFs), but the majority of the 63 human Rabs have no known GEF. We have performed a systematic characterization of the 17 human DENN domain proteins and demonstrated that they are specific GEFs for 10 Rabs. DENND1A/1B localize to clathrin patches at the plasma membrane and activate Rab35 in an endocytic pathway trafficking Shiga toxin to the trans-Golgi network. DENND2 GEFs target to actin filaments and control Rab9-dependent trafficking of mannose-6-phosphate receptor to lysosomes. DENND4 GEFs target to a tubular membrane compartment adjacent to the Golgi, where they activate Rab10, which suggests a function in basolateral polarized sorting in epithelial cells that compliments the non-DENN GEF Sec2 acting on Rab8 in apical sorting. DENND1C, DENND3, DENND5A/5B, MTMR5/13, and MADD activate Rab13, Rab12, Rab39, Rab28, and Rab27A/27B, respectively. Together, these findings provide a basis for future studies on Rab regulation and function.
A vesicle-mediated transport process in which cells take up external materials or membrane constituents by the invagination of a small region of the plasma membrane to form a new membrane-bounded vesicle.
Protein involved in endocytosis, a process by which extracellular materials are taken up into a cell by invagination of the plasma membrane to form vesicles enclosing these materials.
Protein involved in the intracellular transport of proteins from one location to another. All proteins (except the ones synthesized in mitochondria and plastids) are synthesized on ribosomes in the cytosol. Most proteins remain in the cytosol. Proteins with a signal sequence either become plasma membrane components or are exported from the cell of origin.
Protein involved in the transport of a molecule (metabolite, protein, etc), a ion or an electron across cell membranes, inside the cell or in a tissue fluid.
Protein involved in ubiquitin-like modifier processing, activation, conjugation or deconjugation such as Ubl-activating enzymes (E1s), Ubl-conjugating enzymes (E2s), Ubl-protein ligases (E3s), some thiol proteases (Ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolases (UCH), Ubiquitin- specific processing proteases (UBP) and ubiquitin-like proteases) and the ubiquitin-like modifier proteins. Besides signaling proteolysis, ubiquitination for example can be a signal for trafficking, kinase activation and other nonproteolytic fates.
A reference proteome is a set of protein sequences derived from a complete proteome which constitutes a defined standard for a particular user community. Reference proteomes are manually defined according to a number of criteria. They cover the proteomes of well- studied model organisms and other proteomes of interest for biomedical and biotechnological research. Reference proteomes have been selected to provide broad coverage of the tree of life, and constitute a representative cross-section of the taxonomic diversity to be found within UniProtKB.
My favorites 
My labels 
Login
