GTPase Activating Protein And VPS9 Domains 1 (GAPVD1)

GAPVD1 is Rab GTPase guanine nucleotide exchange factor essential for activation of RAB5A during engulfment of apoptotic cells. GAPVD1 is also involved in the degradation of the epidermal growth factor receptor. Gapex-5 mediated activation of Rab5 has been implicated in the insulin stimulated formation of plasma membrane phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate. The deduced 1,439-amino acid protein has a predicted molecular mass of 158 kD. It contains a C-terminal Vps9-like motif, which is found in other Rab5 GEFs, and an N-terminal RasGAP-like domain (RGD) similar to those found in GAP proteins that specifically interact with Ras proteins. An antibody raised to RAP6 localized the protein to the plasma membrane and intracellular vesicles.