ARF-Like (ARL) Proteins

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Richard Kahn, Emory University; Michael P. East, Emory University; Joshua W. Francis, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2014-05-22
• Publisher: Springer Link
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014.
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07761-1_10
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Ras Superfamily Small G Proteins: Biology and Mechanisms 2
• Start Page: 215
• End Page: 251
• Grant/Funding Information: None declared
• Keywords: ARL13B; ARL2; ARL GAP; ADP-ribosylation factor-like (ARL); ARL1; ARL4; ARL6; ARFRP1; ARL3
• Research Categories: Biology, Molecular; Physics, Molecular; Biology, Physiology

Abstract

The ARF-like (ARL) proteins, within the ARF family, are a collection of functionally diverse GTPases that share extensive (>40 %) identity with the ARFs and each other and are assumed to share basic mechanisms of regulation and a very incompletely documented degree of overlapping regulators. At least four ARLs were already present in the last eukaryotic common ancestor, along with one ARF, and these have been expanded to >20 members in mammals. We know little about the majority of these proteins so our review will focus on those about which the most is known, including ARL1, ARL2, ARL3, ARL4s, ARL6, ARL13s, and ARFRP1. From this fragmentary information we extract some generalizations and conclusions regarding the sources and extent of specificity and functions of the ARLs.