H-Ras forms dimers on membrane surfaces via a protein–protein interface

Ras is a key signaling molecule in living cells, and mutations in Ras are involved in 30% of human cancers. It is becoming progressively more clear that the spatial arrangement of proteins within a cell, not just their chemical structure, is an important aspect of their function. In this work, we use a series of quantitative physical techniques to map out the tendency of two Ras molecules to bind together to form a dimer on membrane surfaces. Insights from this work, as well as the technical assays developed, may help to discover new therapeutic drugs capable of modulating the errant behavior of Ras in cancer.