RAC1/A0194

RAC1(Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1), also known as A0194, is a member of the MASC complex and appears to be involved in dendritic spine morphogenesis.

RAC1(Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1), also known as A0194, is a member of the MASC complex and appears to be involved in dendritic spine morphogenesis. It has been implicated in a diverse array of cellular processes, such as cytoskeletal reorganization. In Drosophila melanogaster, experiments involving the over-expression of RAC1 protein showed that this protein has a cellular autonomous role in promoting dendritic branching from dopaminergic neurons. This over-expression increased higher order dendritic branching. It has also been suggested, at least in Drosophila melanogaster, that this protein may interact with a protein called Fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1), whose activity it appears to mediate. Homologs have been found in mammalian systems, but the roles they play in mammalian nervous systems are yet to be confirmed. They may be involved with cell shape through organization of signaling complexes and so may be implicated in the molecular mechanism underlying long-term potentiation (LTP) and, specifically, how this is affected by cell shape. This could also describe how the process of LTP is affected by the environment of other neurons.