Isolation of two novel human RhoGEFs, ARHGEF3 and ARHGEF4, in 3p13-21 and 2q22

RhoGEFs play an important role in various signaling cascades and are implic ated in human conditions like cancer and mental retardation. A database sea rch combined with screening of a human neuronal teratocarcinoma library ide ntified two novel RhoGEFs, ARHGEF3 and ARHGEF4 (HGMW-approved symbols). The widely expressed ARHGEF3 transcript of 3561 nucleotides encodes a polypept ide of 526 amino acids with homology to NET1, The ARHGEF4 gene generates tw o transcripts of 3665 and 4000 nucleotides that translate into 720 amino ac id residues, Expression of ARHGEF4 is restricted to brain and the encoded p rotein shows homology to collybistin, FISH analysis of genomic clones mappe d ARHGEF3 to 3p13-21 and ARHGEF4 to 2q22. (C) 2000 Academic Press.