Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 also known as Rac1 is a protein

Protein

Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...

 that in humans is encoded by the RAC1 gene

Gene

A gene is a molecular unit of heredity of a living organism. It is a name given to some stretches of DNA and RNA that code for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. Living beings depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains...

. Several alternatively spliced transcript variants of this gene have been described, but the full-length nature of some of these variants has not been determined.

Function

Rac1 is a small (~21 kDa) signaling G protein

G protein

G proteins are a family of proteins involved in transmitting chemical signals outside the cell, and causing changes inside the cell. They communicate signals from many hormones, neurotransmitters, and other signaling factors. G protein-coupled receptors are transmembrane receptors...

 (more specifically a GTPase

GTPase

GTPases are a large family of hydrolase enzymes that can bind and hydrolyze guanosine triphosphate . The GTP binding and hydrolysis takes place in the highly conserved G domain common to all GTPases.-Functions:...

), and is a member of the Rac subfamily of the family Rho family of GTPases

Rho family of GTPases

The Rho family of GTPases is a family of small signaling G protein , and is a subfamily of the Ras superfamily. The members of the Rho GTPase family have been shown to regulate many aspects of intracellular actin dynamics, and are found in all eukaryotic organisms including yeasts and some plants...

. Members of this superfamily appear to regulate a diverse array of cellular events, including the control of cell growth

Cell growth

The term cell growth is used in the contexts of cell development and cell division . When used in the context of cell division, it refers to growth of cell populations, where one cell grows and divides to produce two "daughter cells"...

, cytoskeletal

Cytoskeleton

The cytoskeleton is a cellular "scaffolding" or "skeleton" contained within a cell's cytoplasm and is made out of protein. The cytoskeleton is present in all cells; it was once thought to be unique to eukaryotes, but recent research has identified the prokaryotic cytoskeleton...

 reorganization, and the activation of protein kinase

Kinase

In chemistry and biochemistry, a kinase is a type of enzyme that transfers phosphate groups from high-energy donor molecules, such as ATP, to specific substrates, a process referred to as phosphorylation. Kinases are part of the larger family of phosphotransferases...

s.

Rac1 is a pleiotropic regulator of many cellular processes, including the cell cycle, cell-cell adhesion, motility

Motility

Motility is a biological term which refers to the ability to move spontaneously and actively, consuming energy in the process. Most animals are motile but the term applies to single-celled and simple multicellular organisms, as well as to some mechanisms of fluid flow in multicellular organs, in...

 (through the actin network), and of epithelial differentiation (proposed to be necessary for maintaining epidermal stem cells).

Interactions

RAC1 has been shown to interact

Protein-protein interaction

Protein–protein interactions occur when two or more proteins bind together, often to carry out their biological function. Many of the most important molecular processes in the cell such as DNA replication are carried out by large molecular machines that are built from a large number of protein...

 with ARFIP2

ARFIP2

Arfaptin-2 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ARFIP2 gene.-Interactions:ARFIP2 has been shown to interact with Arf6, ARF3, ARF5 and RAC1.-Further reading:...

, Myotonic dystrophy protein kinase

Myotonic dystrophy protein kinase

Myotonin-protein kinase also known as myotonic dystrophy protein kinase or dystrophia myotonica protein kinase is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the DMPK gene.- Function :...

, T-cell lymphoma invasion and metastasis-inducing protein 1

T-cell lymphoma invasion and metastasis-inducing protein 1

T-cell lymphoma invasion and metastasis-inducing protein 1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the TIAM1 gene.- Structure :TIAM1 is tightly associate with BAIAP2 as a subunit...

, PARD6B

PARD6B

Partitioning defective 6 homolog beta is a protein that in humans is encoded by the PARD6B gene.-Interactions:PARD6B has been shown to interact with CDC42, RHOQ, RAC1 and Protein kinase Mζ.-Further reading:...

, PAK1

PAK1

Serine/threonine-protein kinase PAK 1 is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the PAK1 gene.-Interactions:PAK1 has been shown to interact with C-Raf, NCK1, LIMK1, RAC1, ARHGEF2, BMX, ARPC1B, DYNLL1, Cyclin-dependent kinase 5, PAK1IP1 and CDC42....

, PAK3

PAK3

Serine/threonine-protein kinase PAK 3 is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the PAK3 gene.-External links:* Info with links in the...

, ARHGDIA

ARHGDIA

Rho GDP-dissociation inhibitor 1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ARHGDIA gene.-Interactions:ARHGDIA has been shown to interact with RHOA, CDC42, RhoH, RAC1 and Rac2.-Further reading:...

, Myd88

Myd88

Myeloid differentiation primary response gene is a protein that, in humans, is encoded by the MYD88 gene.-Function:In mice, MyD88 is a universal adapter protein as it is used by all TLRs to activate the transcription factor NF-κB. Mal is necessary to recruit Myd88 to TLR 2 and TLR 4, and MyD88...

, PARD6A

PARD6A

Partitioning defective 6 homolog alpha is a protein that in humans is encoded by the PARD6A gene.-Interactions:PARD6A has been shown to interact with CDC42, RAC1, ECT2 and Protein kinase Mζ.-Further reading:...

, STAT3

STAT3

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 also known as STAT3 is a transcription factor which in humans is encoded by the STAT3 gene.- Function :The protein encoded by this gene is a member of the STAT protein family...

, IQGAP2

IQGAP2

Ras GTPase-activating-like protein IQGAP2 is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the IQGAP2 gene.-Interactions:IQGAP2 has been shown to interact with CDC42 and RAC1.-Further reading:...

, NCKAP1

NCKAP1

Nck-associated protein 1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the NCKAP1 gene.-Interactions:NCKAP1 has been shown to interact with RAC1 and ABI1.-Further reading:...

, IQGAP1

IQGAP1

Ras GTPase-activating-like protein IQGAP1 also known as p195 is a ubiquitously expressed protein that in humans is encoded by the IQGAP1 gene...

, FHOD1

FHOD1

FH1/FH2 domain-containing protein 1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the FHOD1 gene.-Further reading:...

, BAIAP2

BAIAP2

Brain-specific angiogenesis inhibitor 1-associated protein 2 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the BAIAP2 gene.-Interactions:BAIAP2 has been shown to interact with WASF1, EPS8, SHANK1, RAC1, WASF2, ATN1 and CDC42.-Further reading:...

, RICS

RICS (gene)

Rho GTPase-activating protein 32 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the RICS gene. RICS has two known isoforms, RICS that are expressed primarily at neurite growth cones, and at the post synaptic membranes, and PX-RICS which is more widely expressed in the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi...

 and FMNL1

FMNL1

Formin-like protein 1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the FMNL1 gene.-Interactions:FMNL1 has been shown to interact with Profilin 1, PFN2 and RAC1.-Further reading:...

.

External links

• RAC1 Info with links in the Cell Migration Gateway