Functional analysis of the Caenorhabditis elegans UNC-73B PH domain demonstrates a role in activation of the Rac GTPase in vitro and axon guidance in vivo.

The Caenorhabditis elegans UNC-73B protein regulates axon guidance through its ability to act as a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for the CeRAC/MIG-2 GTPases. Like other GEFs for Rho family GTPases, UNC-73B has a Dbl homology (DH) catalytic domain, followed by a C-terminal pleckstrin homology (PH) domain. We have explored whether the PH domain cooperates with the adjacent DH domain to promote UNC-73B GEF activity and axonal pathfinding.