Rho family GTPases
rho family gtpases
The Rho family of GTPases is a family of small (~21 kDa) signaling G proteins, and is a subfamily of the Ras superfamily. The members of the Rho GTPase family have been shown to regulate many aspects of intracellular actin dynamics, and are found in all eukaryotic organisms including yeasts and some plants. Three members of the family have been studied a great deal: Cdc42, Rac1, and RhoA. All G proteins are 'molecular switches', and Rho proteins play a role in organelle development, cytoskeletal dynamics, cell movement, and other common cellular functions.