A RHOse by any other name: a comparative analysis of animal and plant Rho GTPases

doi:doi:10.1038/sj.cr.7310055

Cell Research (2006) 16: 435–445. doi:10.1038/sj.cr.7310055; published online 15 May 2006

A RHOse by any other name: a comparative analysis of animal and plant Rho GTPases

Tore Brembu^1,2, Per Winge², Atle Magnar Bones² and Zhenbiao Yang¹

¹Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, Center for Plant Cell Biology, Institute of Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA
²Department of Biology, University of Science and Technology, N-7491 Trondheim, Norway

Correspondence: Zhenbiao Yang, Tel: 1-951-827-7351; Fax: 1-951-827-4437; E-mail: yang@ucr.edu; Atle M Bones, Tel: 1-47-7359-8692; Fax: 47-7359-6100; E-mail: atle.bones@bio.ntnu.no

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Abstract

Rho GTPases are molecular switches that act as key regulators of a many cellular processes, including cell movement, morphogenesis, host defense, cell division and gene expression. Rho GTPases are found in all eukaryotic kingdoms. Plants lack clear homologs to conventional Rho GTPases found in yeast and animals; instead, they have over time developed a unique subfamily, ROPs, also known as RAC. The origin of ROP-like proteins appears to precede the appearance of land plants. This review aims to discuss the evolution of ROP/RAC and to compare plant ROP and animal Rho GTPases, focusing on similarities and differences in regulation of the GTPases and their downstream effectors.

Keywords:

Rho GTPase, RhoGAP, RhoGEF, RhoGDI, cytoskeleton, NADPH oxidase, RIC

Abbreviations:

CRIB, Cdc42/Rac-interactive binding; DH, Dbl homology; FH, formin homology; GAP, GTPase-activating protein; GDI, GDP dissociation inhibitor; GEF, GDP exchange factor; PH, Pleckstrin homology; PRONE, plant-specific Rop nucleotide exchanger; Rboh, Respiratory burst oxidase homolog; RIC, ROP-interactive CRIB-containing protein; RLK, Receptor-like kinase; ROP, Rho-related GTPase from plants; ROS, reactive oxygen species