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Vav pleckstrin homology (PH) domain Vav acts as a guanosine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for Rho/Rac proteins. They control processes including T cell activation, phagocytosis, and migration of cells. The Vav subgroup of Dbl GEFs consists of three family members (Vav1, Vav2, and Vav3) in mammals. Vav1 is preferentially expressed in the hematopoietic system, while Vav2 and Vav3 are described by broader expression patterns. Mammalian Vav proteins consist of a calponin homology (CH) domain, an acidic region, a catalytic Dbl homology (DH) domain, a PH domain, a zinc finger cysteine rich domain (C1/CRD), and an SH2 domain, flanked by two SH3 domains. In invertebrates such as Drosophila and C. elegans, Vav is missing the N-terminal SH3 domain. The DH domain is involved in RhoGTPase recognition and selectivity and stimulates the reorganization of the switch regions for GDP/GTP exchange. The PH domain is implicated in directing membrane localization, allosteric regulation of guanine nucleotide exchange activity, and as a phospholipid- dependent regulator of GEF activity. Vavs bind RhoGTPases including Rac1, RhoA, RhoG, and Cdc42, while other members of the GEF family are specific for a single RhoGTPase. This promiscuity is thought to be a result of its CRD. PH domains have diverse functions, but in general are involved in targeting proteins to the appropriate cellular location or in the interaction with a binding partner. They share little sequence conservation, but all have a common fold, which is electrostatically polarized. Less than 10% of PH domains bind phosphoinositide phosphates (PIPs) with high affinity and specificity. PH domains are distinguished from other PIP-binding domains by their specific high-affinity binding to PIPs with two vicinal phosphate groups: PtdIns(3,4)P2, PtdIns(4,5)P2 or PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 which results in targeting some PH domain proteins to the plasma membrane. A few display strong specificity in lipid binding. Any specificity is usually determined by loop regions or insertions in the N-terminus of the domain, which are not conserved across all PH domains. PH domains are found in cellular signaling proteins such as serine/threonine kinase, tyrosine kinases, regulators of G-proteins, endocytotic GTPases, adaptors, as well as cytoskeletal associated molecules and in lipid associated enzymes.polarized. PH domains also have diverse functions. They are often involved in targeting proteins to the plasma membrane, but only a few (less than 10%) display strong specificity in binding inositol phosphates. Any specificity is usually determined by loop regions or insertions in the N-terminus of the domain, which are not conserved across all PH domains. PH domains are found in cellular signaling proteins such as serine/threonine kinases, tyrosine kinases, regulators of G-proteins, endocytotic GTPases, adaptors, cytoskeletal associated molecules, and in lipid associated enzymes. |
Jiyao W et al.(2023). "The conserved domain database in 2023.",