Two families of GTPases, Arfs and Ypt/rabs, are key regulators of vesicular
transport. While Arf proteins are implicated in vesicle budding from the d
onor compartment, Ypt/rab proteins are involved in the targeting of vesicle
s to the acceptor compartment. Recently, we have shown a role for Ypt31/32p
in exit from the yeast trans-Golgi, suggesting a possible function for Ypt
/rab proteins in vesicle budding as well. Here we report the identification
of a new member of the Sec7-domain family, SYT1, as a high-copy suppressor
of a ypt31/32 mutation. Several proteins that belong to the Sec7-domain fa
mily, including the yeast Gea1p, have recently been shown to stimulate nucl
eotide exchange by Arf GTPases. Nucleotide exchange by Arf GTPases, the swi
tch from the GDP- to the GTP-bound form, is thought to be crucial for their
function. Sec7p itself has an important role in the yeast secretory pathwa
y. However, its mechanism of action is not yet understood. We show that all
members of the Sec7-domain family exhibit distinct genetic interactions wi
th the YPT genes. Biochemical assays demonstrate that, although the homolog
y between the members of the Sec7-domain family is relatively low (20-35%)
and limited to a small domain, they all can act as guanine nucleotide excha
nge factors (GEFs) for Arf proteins, but not for Ypt GTPases. The Sec7-doma
in of Sec7p is sufficient for this activity. Interestingly, the Sec7 domain
activity is inhibited by brefeldin A (BFA), a fungal metabolite that inhib
its some of the Arf-GEFs, indicating that this domain is a target for BFA.
These results demonstrate that the ability to act as Arf-GEFs is a general
property of all Sec7-domain proteins in yeast. The genetic interactions obs
erved between Xrf GEFs and Ypt GTPases suggest the existence of a Ypt-Arf G
TPase cascade in the secretory pathway.