How Functional Variants Reconfigure the Rac2 Conformational Landscape

Abstract

Rac2, a member of the Rho family of small GTPases, is a fundamental regulator of essential cellular processes. Pathogenic substitutions near and within the Switch II region, specifically D57N and E62K, have been implicated in oncogenesis and immunodeficiency. Despite their proximity, D57N is characterized as a loss-of-function mutation, while E62K is a constitutively active, gain-of-function mutation. In this study, we addressed several critical questions: (i) the structural basis of their altered cellular functions, (ii) how these variants rearrange the conformational ensemble, and (iii) the subsequent impact on cellular signaling networks. Using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we characterized the conformational dynamics of these Rac2 variants in GDP- and GTP-bound states. Our results demonstrate that Rac2D57N predominantly adopts an inactive-like conformation, regardless of the bound nucleotide. GTP binding is insufficient to induce the canonical active state in this mutant. Conversely, Rac2E62K maintains a nucleotide-dependent toggle, appearing inactive when bound to GDP and active when bound to GTP. Additionally, we examined the assembly of these variants with the regulator p50-RhoGAP. In the wild-type complex, GAP binding facilitates a shift toward a near-transition-state ensemble. In stark contrast, both the D57N and E62K complexes remain sequestered in a ground-ON state configuration, effectively trapping the GTPase and hindering GAP-mediated hydrolysis. While both Rac2 mutations result in immune system dysfunction, the underlying mechanisms are opposite: inactive vs overactive. This work provides a high-resolution, mechanistic framework for understanding how localized perturbations in the switch loops landscape dictate systemic cellular outcomes.