Rab Proteins as Potential Therapeutic Targets Applied to Crustacean Aquaculture: Rab7 Case Analysis

Abstract

Rab proteins constitute an important subfamily of molecular effectors whose function is related to the modulation of several important cellular and metabolic processes, including controlling intracellular endocytic vesicle trafficking, phagosome formation, endosome maturation, and innate immunity. In crustaceans, the study and characterization of these proteins have garnered great interest, mainly due to their pivotal role in the innate immune response mechanisms against infections. Among the Rab family, the Rab7 stands out as a prominent example of the potential of these proteins as therapeutic targets for the development of genetic therapies to control viral pathogens in crustacean aquaculture. In this review, a compendium of the information currently available in relation to Rab proteins in crustaceans is made, taking the Rab7 protein as a model, emphasizing not only its general aspects of functioning at the molecular level, but also describing in-depth both mechanisms of action and potential interactions, as well as its implications in relation to the immune system, particularly in shrimp. © 2025 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.