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Rab small GTPases, well-known regulators of membrane trafficking pathways in eukaryotic cells, comprise approximately 60 different members in mammals. During the past decade, our understanding of the functions of mammalian Rab32 subfamily members (Rab32 and Rab38) have deepened, especially on the biogenesis of lysosome-related organelles, such as melanosomes, and the protection mechanisms against several pathogenic microbial infections. Endosome-mediated membrane trafficking by Rab32 subfamily members plays pivotal roles in these events. In this review, we provide an overview of the regulatory mechanisms of mammalian Rab32-family members in endosomal trafficking, especially focusing on their GEF, GAP and effector molecules, and describe the latest findings on physiological and pathological functions regulated by these molecules.

Phosphoinositide kinases comprise a unique family of enzymes that catalyze the phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol and its phosphorylated metabolites to produce seven phosphoinositides. Recent advances have revealed that these phosphoinositides have specific physiological functions, such as in actin cytoskeletal reorganization, membrane transport, cell proliferation and survival, in eukaryotic cells and that each phosphoinositide kinase is differently and precisely regulated. Here we describe the diverse regulation and physiological functions of phosphoinositide kinases involving their products.

The crystal structures of the GTP- and GDP-bound alpha subunits of heterotrimeric GTP-binding proteins were recently determined, and a conserved Thr residue in the G2 (linker 2) region of the alpha subunits, which corresponds to Thr182 in Gi2 alpha, was deduced to interact with the gamma-phosphate of GTP and Mg2+. To investigate biochemically the significance of the Thr residue, we produced a mutant Gi2 alpha, in which Thr182 was substituted for Ala (T182A), in Escherichia coli. The rate of guanosine 5'-(gamma-thio)tri-phosphate (GTP gamma S) binding to T182A was higher than that to the wild-type Gi2 alpha, especially with a high concentration (10 mM) of Mg2+. The rate of dissociation of bound GDP from T182A was also much faster than that from the wild-type with the high Mg2+ concentration. Moreover, T182A had much lower GTPase activity than the wild-type, like the gip mutant (R179C) of Gi2 alpha found in human endocrine tumors. The ability of T182A to interact with beta gamma subunits and membrane-bound receptors was the same as that of the wild-type alpha subunit. T182A could take on a GTP-bound active conformation, as judged from its sensitivity to tryptic digestion. These results indicated that Thr182 plays an important role not only in the Mg(2+)-sensitive GDP-GTP exchange reaction but also in the GTPase activity of Gi2 alpha. The T182A mutant of Gi2 alpha, characterized by the faster GDP release and the slower GTP hydrolysis, would be a novel mutant that retains the ability to interact with receptors and beta gamma subunits.