Detection of Small GTPase Prenylation and GTP Binding Using Membrane Fractionation and  GTPase-linked Immunosorbent Assay

Javad Alizadeh; Shahla Shojaei; Simone da Silva Rosa; Adel Rezaei Moghadam; Amir A. Zeki; Mohammad Hashemi; Marek J. Los; Joseph W. Gordon; Saeid Ghavami

doi:10.3791/57646

A subscription to JoVE is required to view this content. Sign in or start your free trial.

Method Article

Detection of Small GTPase Prenylation and GTP Binding Using Membrane Fractionation and GTPase-linked Immunosorbent Assay

9.6K views

⸱

DOI:

10.3791/57646

⸱

November 11th, 2018

Javad Alizadeh¹^,² , Shahla Shojaei¹^,²^,³ , Simone da Silva Rosa¹ , Adel Rezaei Moghadam¹^,² , Amir A. Zeki⁴ , Mohammad Hashemi⁵ , Marek J. Los⁶^,⁷^,⁸ , Joseph W. Gordon¹^,⁹ , Saeid Ghavami¹^,²^,¹⁰

¹Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, ²Biology of Breathing Theme, Children Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, University of Manitoba, ³Department of Biochemistry, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, ⁴Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Center for Comparative Respiratory Biology and Medicine, ⁵Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, ⁶Department of Molecular Biology, School of Pharmacy with the Division of Laboratory Medicine in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia, ⁷Centre de biophysique moléculaire - UPR 4301, Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS) CS80054, ⁸LinkoCare Life Sciences AB, ⁹College of Nursing and Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, ¹⁰Health Policy Research Center, Institute of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences

Summary

Here we describe a protocol to investigate the prenylation and guanosine-5'-triphosphate (GTP)-loading of Rho GTPase. This protocol consists of two detailed methods, namely membrane fractionation and a GTPase-linked immunosorbent assay. The protocol can be used for measuring the prenylation and GTP loading of different other small GTPases.

Abstract

The Rho GTPase family belongs to the Ras superfamily and includes approximately 20 members in humans. Rho GTPases are important in the regulation of diverse cellular functions, including cytoskeletal dynamics, cell motility, cell polarity, axonal guidance, vesicular trafficking, and cell cycle control. Changes in Rho GTPase signaling play an essential regulatory role in many pathological conditions, such as cancer, central nervous system diseases, and immune system-dependent diseases. The posttranslational modification of Rho GTPases (i.e., prenylation by mevalonate pathway intermediates) and GTP binding are key factors which affect the activation of this protein. In this paper, two essential and simple methods are provided to detect a broad range of Rho GTPase prenylation and GTP binding activities. Details of the technical procedures that have been used are explained step by step in this manuscript.

Introduction

Rho GTPases are a group of small proteins (21 - 25 kDa), which are well conserved throughout evolution, and form a unique subfamily in the Ras superfamily of small GTPases. In each subfamily within this superfamily, there is a shared G domain core that is involved in the GTPase activity and nucleotide exchange¹. The difference between the Rho family and the other Ras subfamilies is the presence of a "Rho insert domain" within the 5^th β strand and the 4^th α helix in the small GTPase domain².

Based on the recent classification, Rho GTPases are considered a....