{"symbol":"RAB8A","synonyms":["RAB8","MEL"],"name":"RAB8A, member RAS oncogene family","description":"The protein encoded by this gene is a member of the RAS superfamily which are small GTP/GDP-binding proteins with an average size of 200 amino acids. The RAS-related proteins of the RAB/YPT family may play a role in the transport of proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi and the plasma membrane. This protein shares 97%, 96%, and 51% similarity with the dog RAB8, mouse MEL, and mouse YPT1 proteins, respectively and contains the 4 GTP/GDP-binding sites that are present in all the RAS proteins. The putative effector-binding site of this protein is similar to that of the RAB/YPT proteins. However, this protein contains a C-terminal CAAX motif that is characteristic of many RAS superfamily members but which is not found in YPT1 and the majority of RAB proteins. Although this gene was isolated as a transforming gene from a melanoma cell line, no linkage between MEL and malignant melanoma has been demonstrable. This oncogene is located 800 kb distal to MY09B on chromosome 19p13.1. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]","ncbiEntrezGeneId":4218,"ncbiEntrezGeneUrl":"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/4218","proteins":[{"symbol":"RAB8A_HUMAN","href":"/api/1.0/protein/RAB8A_HUMAN"}],"hgncRootFamilies":[{"name":"Ras small GTPases superfamily","href":"/api/1.0/gene_family/Ras+small+GTPases+superfamily"}]}