Rho GTPases, Francisco Rivero

1. Computational Modeling of the Dynamics of Spatiotemporal Rho GTPase Signaling: A Systematic Review

Shabnam Khatibi, Karina Islas Rios, and Lan K. Nguyen

2. Uncovering Bistability in the Rac1/RhoA Signaling Network through Integrating Computational Modeling and Experimentation

Alex von Kriegsheim and Lan K. Nguyen

3. Modeling Rho GTPase Dynamics Using Boolean Logic

Joseph H.R. Hetmanski, Jean-Marc Schwartz, and Patrick T. Caswell

4. EdgeProps: A Computational Platform for Correlative Analysis of Cell Dynamics and Near-Edge Protein Activity

Anastasia Zhurikhina, Timothy Qi, Klaus M. Hahn, Timothy C. Elston, and Denis Tsygankov

5. Applying Perturbation Expectation-Maximization to Protein Trajectories of Rho GTPases

Peter K. Koo and Simon G.J. Mochrie

6. Parallel High Resolution Imaging of Leukocyte Chemotaxis under Agarose with Rho Family GTPase Biosensors

George R.R. Bell, Dean E. Natwick, and Sean R. Collins

7. Characterization of Genetically-Encoded FRET Biosensors for Rho Family GTPases

Sara K. Donnelly, Veronika Miskolci, Alice M. Garrastegui, Dianne Cox, and Louis Hodgson

8. Screening for Rho GTPase Modulators in Actin-Dependent Processes Exemplified by Phagocytosis

Daniel Schlam, Sergio Grinstein, and Spencer A. Freeman

Part II: Biochemistry and High Throughput Methods

9. An In Vitro Kinase Assay to Assess Rac1 Phosphorylation by ERK

Daniel Brandwein, Junfeng Tong, Laiji Li, Barbara Ballermann, and Zhixiang Wang

10. Methods to Study Rho GTPases Using Bacterial Toxins

Gudula Schmidt

11. Assessment of S-Glutathionylated Rac1 in Cells Using Biotin-Labeled Glutathione

Hannah Edenbaum and Jingyan Han

12. High Throughput Assay for RhoGEFs Based on the Transcreener^(R) GDP Assay

Robert G. Lowery and Meera Kumar

13. Small Volume Flow Cytometry-Based Multiplex Analysis of the Activity of Small GTPases

Peter Simons, Virginie Bondu, Angela Wandinger-Ness, and Tione Buranda

Part III: Cell Types and Processes

14. Methods to Study the Roles of Rho GTPases in Platelet Function

Francisco Rivero and Simon Calaminus

15. Methods to Investigate the Role of Rho GTPases in Osteoclast Function

Anne Morel, Anne Blangy, and Virginie Vives

Work on signal transduction pathways involving Rho family GTPases started some ten years ago. There is now a realization that these highly conserved molecular switches not only serve to coordinate cytoskeletal organization but also impact on diverse aspects of cell biology such as membrane trafficking, transcriptional regulation and mitotic progression.

Humans contain more than 20 Rho type GTPases. This volume not only presents a detailed phylogenetic analysis of Rho proteins, but also discusses the possible origins of the human members. Such an analysis of human Rho GTPases has not previously been attempted.

The book includes an overview of how Rho GTPases become activated which is complemented by an extensive Chapter by Darerca Owen and Helen Mott who unravel the beautiful molecular details given to us by the many structural studies of Rho GTPases.

The key areas currently being investigated in relation to these ubiquitous proteins are described for both in vitro and in vivo systems. These are presented in a format that ensures the reader can approach the topic with minimal background knowledge, while ultimately bringing the subject to the level of an expert. Timely and highly authoritative, this volume illuminates newer findings, particularly as they relate to Rho proteins in vertebrate biology.