V-Ki-Ras2 Kirsten Rat Sarcoma Viral Oncogene Homolog (KRAS)

Like other members of the Ras family, the KRAS protein is a GTPase and is an early player in many signal transduction pathways. KRAS is usually tethered to cell membranes because of the presence of an isoprenyl group on its C-terminus. When mutated, KRAS is a oncogene. The protein product of the normal KRAS gene performs an essential function in normal tissue signaling, and the mutation of a KRAS gene is an essential step in the development of many cancers.KRAS acts as a molecular on/off switch, once it is turned on it recruits and activates proteins necessary for the propagation of growth factor and other receptors' signal, such as c-Raf and PI 3-kinase. KRAS binds to GTP in the active state and possesses an intrinsic enzymatic activity which cleaves the terminal phosphate of the nucleotide converting it to GDP.