Alan Hall

W. E. Balch

Channing J. Der

William Edward Balch

Rab GTPases now comprise a family of >63 members. They are emerging as the key hub element controlling the membrane architecture of eukaryotic cells. They are intimately involved in vesicle targeting and fusion in both the endocytic and exocytic pathways and direct the assembly and disassembly of protein complexes that include regulators (GEFs and GAPs), effectors (tethers/motors) and fusion components (SNAREs) that control membrane targeting and fusion. During the last 3 years the field has virtually exploded with the identification and characterization of many new Rab proteins and their effectors. Our understanding of how Rab GTPases control membrane function remains at its infancy. This volume of Methods in Enzymology, GTPases Regulating Membrane Targeting and Fusion, provides a wealth of new concepts, approaches and tools to study Rab proteins in the test tube and in living cells that will be of strong benefit to both established laboratories and new investigators in the field to elucidate Rab GTPase function in cellular development, differentiation and proliferation. Comprehensive overview of Rab GTPase phylogeny and systems biology Identification and characterization of Rab GEFs, GAPs and effectors General methodologies to study Rab GTPase function in vitro and in vivo using biochemical, molecular and microscopy approaches

GTPases Regulating Membrane Targeting and Fusion

GTPases that regulate the myriad of membrane fission events that facilitate the assembly and disassembly of COPII (Sar1), COPI (ARF) and clathrin coats (dynamin) involved in exocytic and endocytic trafficking pathways and mitochrondrial organization remain a major challenge for future investigations to understand membrane architecture of eukaryotic cells. This volume of MIE provides a comprehensive set of articles describing the use and application of state-of-the-art methodologies to identify and characterize these GTPases and their rapidly expanding list of regulators and effectors. Methodologies focused on biochemical, molecular and advanced imaging techniques provide a wealth of investigational tools for those currently in the field and those entering the field. Many of the methodologies are generally applicable to study of these GTPases in vitro and in vivo to elucidate function in regulation of cell proliferation and signaling in normal tissue and in disease. *Comprehensive collection of GTPases (ARF, Sar1, Dynamin) GTPases involved in vesicle coat assembly and membrane fission *Identification and characterization of GTPase GEFs, GAPs and effectors *General methodologies to study GTPase function in vitro and in vivo

W. E. Balch

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