The Biological Functions of Rap2 Signaling Pathway

Abstract: Rap2 belongs to the Rap subfamily of Ras superfamily small GTPase-binding proteins along with Rap1. Base on over 60% of identity in amino acid sequence between Rap1 and Rap2， Rap2 was speculated to have the signaling pathway similar to Rap1， mediating biological functions including regulation of cell proliferation， differentiation， cell adhesion and cytoskeleton rearrangement. However the 39th amino acid of Ser which located at the effector domain of Ras and Rap1 is substituted by Phe in Rap2. This difference indicates that Rap2 may have specific biological functions other than Rap1 through specific downstream signaling pathways. With the identification of Rap2-specific effectors， more attentions are paid to Rap2-specific signaling pathways and biological functions. Rap2 regulates diversity of biological processes including neuronal synaptic plasticity and dorsal-ventral specification of the early development of Xenopus， besides modulating cell adhesion and cytoskeleton reorganization， In addition， a correlation between Rap2 and various cancers had been reported in several latest researches. Here we present a latest progress on the signaling pathway and the biological functions of Rap2.

CSTR: 32200.14.cjcb.2010.01.0002