RASGRF2
Description
The RASGRF2 (Ras protein specific guanine nucleotide releasing factor 2) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 5.
The human RASGRF2 gene encodes a protein called Ras-specific guanine nucleotide-releasing factor 2. Ras proteins are involved in cell signaling, cycling between inactive (GDP-bound) and active (GTP-bound) states. RASGRF2, along with other guanine-nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs), promotes the conversion of Ras from its inactive to active form. Variations in the RASGRF2 gene have been linked to increased risk of binge drinking in adolescents.
RASGRF2 acts as a calcium-dependent nucleotide exchange factor, switching on Ras and RAC1 by replacing GDP with GTP. It shows a preference for activating HRAS over RRAS in living organisms due to their distinct prenylation types. RASGRF2 plays a role in synaptic plasticity by contributing to the induction of long-term potentiation.
RASGRF2 is also known as GRF2, RAS-GRF2.
