Dedicator Of Cytokinesis 7 (DOCK7)

Dock7 is part of a large class of proteins (GEFs) which contibrute to cellular signalling events by activating small G proteins. In their resting state G proteins are bound to Guanosine diphosphate (GDP) and their activation requires the dissociation of GDP and binding of guanosine triphosphate (GTP). GEFs activate G proteins by promoting this nucleotide exchange.

Dock7 and other DOCK family proteins differ from other GEFs in that they do not possess the canonical structure of tandem DH-PH domains known to elicit nucleotide exchange. Instead they possess a DHR2 domain which mediates G protein activation by stabilising it in its nucleotide free state. They also contain a DHR1 domain which, in many DOCK family members, interacts with phospholipids.