INTERACTION OF THE RHO-FAMILY SMALL G-PROTEINS WITH KINECTIN, AN ANCHORING PROTEIN OF KINESIN MOTOR

The Rho family small G proteins are implicated in various cell functio ns, such as cell morphological change, cell motility, and cytokinesis. However, their modes of action in regulating these cell functions rem ain to be clarified. In the present study, we have isolated a cDNA enc oding a protein which interacts with the GTP-bound form, but not with the GDP bound form, of the Rho family members, including RhoA, Rad, an d Cdc42, by the yeast two-hybrid method. This protein is kinectin, kno wn to be a vesicle membrane anchoring protein of kinesin, which is an ATPase motor transporting vesicles along microtubules. (C) 1996 Academ ic Press, Inc.