Analyses of intracellular signals using a novel activation method for small GTPases

小GTP酶在多种细胞内信号转导途径中发挥关键作用。在本研究中，我们将RIRAG方法应用于几种小GTP酶，发现了新的信号通路，即CDC 42诱导ERK激活。在CDC 42-ERK通路的情况下，RIRAG方法能够按分钟顺序剖析信号传导。尽管RIRAG方法在控制某些小GTP酶方面存在困难，但该方法可能成为分析小GTP酶介导的信号通路的新工具。

Small GTPases play pivotal roles in diverse intracellular signal transduction pathways. In this study, we applied RIRAG method to several small GTPases and found novel signaling pathway that ERK activation was induced by CDC42. The RIRAG method, in the case of CDC42-ERK pathway, was able to dissect the signaling by minute-order. The method potentially becomes a novel tool for the analysis of small GTPase-mediated signaling pathways, although RIRAG method has difficulties in controlling some small GTPases.