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