Localization of low molecular weight GTP binding proteins to exocytic and endocytic compartments.

A set of 11 clones encoding putative GTP binding proteins highly homologous to the yeast YPT1/SEC4 gene products have been isolated from an MDCK cell cDNA library. We localized three of the corresponding proteins in mammalian cells by using affinity-purified antibodies in immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy studies. One, the MDCK homolog of rab2, is associated with a structure having the characteristics of an intermediate compartment between the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus. The second, rab5, is located at the cytoplasmic surface of the plasma membrane and on early endosomes, while the third, rab7, is found on late endosomes. These findings provide evidence that members of the YPT1/SEC4 subfamily of GTP binding proteins are localized to specific exocytic and endocytic subcompartments in mammalian cells.