G proteins are important regulators of various cellular processes including motility, metabolism, and transcription. They are involved in mediating extracellular signals that trigger a cascade of intracellular responses via a series of membrane-bound receptors.
Key to the regulation of the G protein signaling cascade is the involvement of cyclic AMP (cAMP). One of its key functions is to activate Guanine Exchange Factors (GEF), which in turn play a role in the activation of G proteins.
Small GTPases serve to regulate a variety of cell signaling pathways and are therefore involved in a wide range of cell functions, processes and morphology.
Small GTP-binding proteins (GTPases) serve to regulate a variety of cell signaling pathways and are therefore involved in a wide range of cell functions, processes and morphology. Among the most studied small GTPases are Ras, Rho, Rac and Cdc42. BioCat offers a variety of activation assays and pulldown reagents, to study these small GTPase family members.
Small GTPase Activation Assay Kits
The Small GTPase Activation Assays use visible agarose beads to selectively precipitate the active form of the target of interest. The precipitated small GTPase is then detected by Western blot using a target-specific antibody included in the kit.
Small GTPase Assay Beads
The Small GTPase Assay Beads are agarose beads containing a binding domain that selectively precipitates the active form of the small GTPase target of interest. The beads contain a light red color to allow easy visualization during the pulldown process.
These are the same agarose beads found in the Small GTPase Activation Assays, see above.
Rho-associated Kinase (ROCK) mediates Rho signaling and reorganizes the actin cytoskeleton by phosphorylation of several substrates that contribute to the assembly of actin filaments and contractility. ROCK inactivates myosin phosphatase through the specific phosphorylation of myosin phosphatase target subunit 1 (MYPT1) at Thr-696, which results in an increase in the phosphorylated content of the 20-kDa myosin light chain (MLC20).
Rho Kinase (ROCK) Activity Assay, 96-Well
The Rho Kinase (ROCK) Activity Assay, 96-Well provides a non-isotopic, sensitive and specific method to monitor ROCK activity using its physiological substrate; it can also be used for screening ROCK inhibitors. The kit has detection sensitivity limit of 200 pg of active ROCK-II. A recombinant active ROCK-II is provided as a positive control.
ROCK Activity Immunoblot Kit
The ROCK Activity Immunoblot Kit uses a safe, non-radioactive format to measure the level of active Rho Kinase in cell or tissue lysates.