THE BioTek's products are furnished for LABORATORY RESEARCH USE ONLY. The product may not be used as drugs, agricultural or pesticidal products, food additives or household chemicals.
RAB7A, a member of the RAS oncogene family, is a small GTPase that plays a crucial role in the regulation of vesicular transport. This protein is encoded by the RAB7A gene and is involved in various cellular processes, including endo-lysosomal trafficking, cell signaling, and lipid metabolism.
The RAB7A gene is located on chromosome 3 and encodes a protein that consists of 207 amino acids. The protein belongs to the RAB family of small GTPases, which are known for their role in vesicle trafficking. RAB7A cycles between an active GTP-bound state and an inactive GDP-bound state, interacting with various effector proteins to regulate endosomal and lysosomal transport .
RAB7A is primarily involved in the regulation of endo-lysosomal trafficking. It governs early-to-late endosomal maturation, endosome-lysosome transport, and endosomal positioning. The protein plays a central role in several cellular and physiological events, such as:
Mutations in the RAB7A gene have been associated with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2B (CMT2B), a hereditary neuropathy characterized by progressive muscle weakness and atrophy. These mutations often occur at highly conserved amino acid residues, leading to altered protein function and disease manifestation .
RAB7A has been identified as a potential drug target and biomarker for various diseases, including cancer. Its role in vesicular trafficking and cell signaling makes it a critical player in tumorigenesis. Targeting RAB7A and its family members has become a focus of clinical research, with the aim of developing novel therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment .