A mechanism of catalyzed GTP hydrolysis by Ras protein through magnesium ion

The hydrolysis by Ras plays pivotal roles in the activation of signaling pathways that lead to cell growth, proliferation, and differentiation. Despite their significant role in human cancer, the hydrolysis mechanism remains unclear. In the present Letter, we propose a GTP hydrolysis mechanism in which the γ phosphate is cut off primarily by magnesium ion. We studied both normal and mutated Ras and the cause of the malfunction of these mutants, compared the effect of Mg2+ and Mn2+. The simulation results are consistent with the experiments and support the new hydrolysis mechanism. This work will benefit both GTPases and ATPases hydrolysis studies.