RAB33A

RAB33A encodes the RAB33A protein, a member of the RAS oncogene family of small GTPases. Also known as RAB33, it acts as a molecular switch, cycling between GTP-bound active and GDP-bound inactive states to regulate retrograde vesicular trafficking from the Golgi apparatus to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) via COPI-coated vesicles, maintaining organelle homeostasis and protein sorting.
Dysregulation of RAB33A is linked to neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease, where impaired vesicle transport disrupts amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing, promoting amyloid-beta plaque formation. Drug development targeting its GTPase activity remains preclinical, with no approved therapeutics to date.