ADP Ribosylation Factor Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor 2 (ARFGEF2)

ARFGEF2 encoded by this gene is involved in the activation of ARFs by accelerating replacement of bound GDP with GTP and is involved in Golgi transport. It contains a Sec7 domain, which may be responsible for its guanine-nucleotide exchange activity and also brefeldin A inhibition.BIG2 encodes a protein of 1,785 amino acids containing a Sec7 domain characteristic of other ADP ribosylation factor (ARF) guanine nucleotide exchange proteins. BIG2 shares 74% overall amino acid identity with BIG1 and 90% identity within the Sec7 domain. BIG2 protein is required for vesicle and membrane trafficking from the trans-Golgi network. Inhibition of BIG2 by BFA, or by a dominant-negative ARFGEF2 cDNA, decreased cell proliferation in vitro, suggesting a cell-autonomous regulation of neural expansion.