DOCK4
Description
The DOCK4 (dedicator of cytokinesis 4) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 7.
DOCK4, a large protein (~190 kDa) encoded by the DOCK4 gene, is involved in intracellular signaling pathways. It belongs to the DOCK-B subfamily of the DOCK family of guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) that activate small G-proteins. DOCK4 specifically activates Rac and Rap1. DOCK4 was initially identified as a gene product disrupted during tumor progression in a murine osteosarcoma cell line. It is highly expressed in skeletal muscle, prostate, and ovary, with lower levels in other tissues like the heart, placenta, and colon. A splice variant, Dock4-Ex49, has been found in the brain, inner ear, and eye. DOCK4, similar to other DOCK family members, promotes the exchange of GDP for GTP in small G proteins, leading to their activation. Its domain arrangement resembles that of Dock180, the archetypal member of the DOCK family, with significant sequence similarity.
DOCK4 functions as a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) that facilitates the exchange of GDP for GTP, activating small GTPases. This activation is crucial for various cellular processes, including the regulation of cell-cell junctions (adherens junctions), and cell migration.
DOCK4 is also known as -.
