Table 1

Localization and function of selected Rab GTPases

Name
Yeast homolog
Localization
Expression
Function

Rab1a
Ypt1p
ER/cis-Golgi
U
ER-Golgi transport
Rab2a

ER/cis-Golgi
U
Golgi-ER retrograde transport
Rab3a

SV
Neurons
Regulation of neurotransmitter release
Rab4a

EE
U
Endocytic recycling
Rab5a
Ypt51p
EE, CCV, PM
U
Budding, motility and fusion in endocytosis
Rab6a
Ypt6p
Golgi
U
Retrograde Golgi traffic
Rab7
Ypt7p
LE
U
Late endocytic traffic
Rab8a
Sec4p
TGN, PM
U
TGN-PM traffic
Rab9a

LE
U
LE-TGN traffic
Rab11a
Ypt31p
RE, TGN
U
Endocytic recycling via RE and TGN
Rab27a

Melanosomes
Melanocytes
Movement of lytic granules and


Granules
Platelets
melanosomes towards PM



Lymphocytes


See [3,4,39] for references and further details. Compartment abbreviations: CCV, clathrin-coated vesicles; EE, early endosomes; ER, endoplasmic reticulum; LE, late endosome; PM, plasma membrane; RE, recycling endosome; SV, synaptic vesicle; TGN, trans-Golgi network; U, ubiquitous.

Stenmark and Olkkonen Genome Biology 2001 2:reviews3007.1   doi:10.1186/gb-2001-2-5-reviews3007