| Background |
G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) kinase interacting proteins 1 and 2 (GIT1 and GIT2) are highly conserved, ubiquitous scaffold proteins involved in localized signaling to help regulate focal contact assembly and cytoskeletal dynamics. GIT proteins contain multiple interaction domains that allow interaction with small GTPases (including ARF, Rac, and cdc42), kinases (such as PAK and MEK), the Rho family GEF Pix, and the focal adhesion protein paxillin. GIT1 and GIT2 share many of the same properties, but with at least ten distinct, tissue-specific splice variants. GIT2 has been shown to play an important role inhibiting focal adhesion turnover and membrane protrusion Focal adhesion localization and paxillin binding of GIT2 is regulated through phosphorylation at one or more tyrosine sites (Tyr286, Tyr392, Tyr592) by FAK and/or Src. Once at the focal adhesion, GIT2 is thought to play a key role in cell polarity and migration, making it a protein of interest in the investigation of oncogenic signaling pathways.
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