Background
RalA and RalB are members of the Ras family of small GTPases and are highly homologous in protein sequence. The functions of RalA and RalB are distinct yet overlapping. By binding to various effector proteins, RalA and RalB serve as important GTP sensors for exocytosis and membrane trafficking. RalA is required for Ras-related tumorigenesis and RalB is important for tumor survival. In addition to tumor formation, Ral proteins also play a role in cancer cell migration and metastatic tumor invasion.
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