Description
The ADP-ribosylation factor (ARF) family comprises a group of structurally and functionally conserved proteins, which are members of the Ras superfamily of regulatory GTP-binding proteins. The ARF family is divided functionally into the ARF and the ARF-like proteins. ARF's share more than 60% sequence identity, appear to be ubiquitous in eukaryotes, and are highly conserved evolutionarily. ARF is involved in intracellular protein traffic to and within the Golgi complex. ARF has a number of disparate activities including maintenance of organelle integrity, assembly of coat proteins, as a co-factor for cholera toxin and as an activator of phospholipase D