ARF: a key regulatory switch in membrane traffic and organelle structure.

The small GTP-binding protein ADP ribosylation factor (ARF) regulates, through a GTP cycle, the reversible binding of cytosolic coat proteins to Golgi membranes. By determining the binding and release of coat proteins from membranes, ARF controls the production and lifetime of coated-membrane structures. In the past year, studies suggesting a role for ARF in phospholipid metabolism have broadened our perspective on ARF function within the cell.