Kras Article Index for
Kras
Articles about
Kras
 

Information About

Kras




  HGNCid 6407
  Symbol KRAS
  AltSymbols KRAS2
  EntrezGene 3845
  OMIM 190070
  RefSeq NM_033360
  UniProt P01116
  Chromosome 12
  Arm p
  Band 121


KRAS is a gene encoding the KRas Proto-oncogene . Like other members of the Ras gene family, the KRAS protein is a GTPase and is an early player in many signal transduction pathways and is usually associated with Cell Membranes due to the presence of an Isoprenyl group on its C-terminus .

KRAS acts as a molecular on/off switch, once it is turned on it recruits and activates proteins necessary for the propagation of Growth Factor and other receptors' signal, such as C-Raf and PI 3-kinase . KRAS binds to GTP in the active state and possesses its intrinsic enymatic activity cleves the terminal phosphate of the nucleotide converting it to GDP . Upon conversion of GTP to GDP, KRAS is turned off. The rate of conversion is usually slow but can be sped up dramatically by an accessory protein of the Guanine nucleotide activating protein (GAP) class, for example RasGAP . In turn KRAS can bind to proteins of the Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor (GEF) class, for example SOS1 , which forces the release of bound nucleotide. Subsequently, the unbound HRAS is released from the GEF and quickly re-binds available GTP or GDP present in the Cytosol . Since GTP is substantially more abundant than GDP, this usually results in HRAS activation.

Other members of the Ras family include: HRAS , RRAS and NRAS. These proteins all are regulated in the same manner and appear to differ largely in their sites of action within the cell.


GENETIC DISEASE ASSOCIATED WITH KRAS

Several Niihori T. et al. Nat Genet. 2006 Mar;38:294-296.

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