RAB3C, Member RAS Oncogene Family (RAB3C)

RAB proteins, such as RAB3C, are small GTPases implicated in the regulation of vesicular trafficking between membrane compartments. RAB3C gene contains 6 exons and spans more than 310 kb. Exons 4 and 5 have the same DNA sequence, but only 1 copy appeared to be transcribed.

The deduced 227-amino acid protein has a calculated molecular mass of 30 kD. RAB3C contains 4 motifs conserved in other members of the human RAB3 family and in bovine, mouse, and rat Rab3c. Expression of RAB3C in 16 human tissues was below the level of detection by Northern blot analysis. However, PCR analysis detected 2 RAB3C splice variants in brain and lung, with lower expression in placent.