Src homology 3 domain of the Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factors ARHGEF16 and ARHGEF26
ARHGEF16, also called ephexin-4, acts as a GEF for RhoG, activating it by exchanging bound GDP for free GTP. RhoG is a small GTPase that is a crucial regulator of Rac in migrating cells. ARHGEF16 interacts directly with the ephrin receptor EphA2 and mediates cell migration and invasion in breast cancer cells by activating RhoG. ARHGEF26, also called SGEF (SH3 domain-containing guanine exchange factor), also activates RhoG. It is highly expressed in liver and may play a role in regulating membrane dynamics. ARHGEF16 and ARHGEF26 contain RhoGEF (also called Dbl-homologous or DH), Pleckstrin Homology (PH), and SH3 domains. The SH3 domains of ARHGEFs play an autoinhibitory role through intramolecular interactions with a proline-rich region N-terminal to the DH domain. SH3 domains are protein interaction domains that bind to proline-rich ligands with moderate affinity and selectivity, preferentially to PxxP motifs. They play versatile and diverse roles in the cell including the regulation of enzymes, changing the subcellular localization of signaling pathway components, and mediating the formation of multiprotein complex assemblies.
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