Key regulator in endo-lysosomal trafficking. Governs early-to-late endosomal maturation, microtubule minus-end as well as plus-end directed endosomal migration and positioning, and endosome-lysosome transport through different protein-protein interaction cascades. Plays a central role, not only in endosomal traffic, but also in many other cellular and physiological events, such as growth-factor-mediated cell signaling, nutrient-transportor mediated nutrient uptake, neurotrophin transport in the axons of neurons and lipid metabolism. Also involved in regulation of some specialized endosomal membrane trafficking, such as maturation of melanosomes, pathogen-induced phagosomes (or vacuoles) and autophagosomes. Plays a role in the maturation and acidification of phagosomes that engulf pathogens, such as S.aureus and M.tuberculosis. Plays a role in the fusion of phagosomes with lysosomes. Plays important roles in microbial pathogen infection and survival, as well as in participating in the life cycle of viruses. Microbial pathogens possess survival strategies governed by RAB7A, sometimes by employing RAB7A function (e.g. Salmonella) and sometimes by excluding RAB7A function (e.g. Mycobacterium). In concert with RAC1, plays a role in regulating the formation of RBs (ruffled borders) in osteoclasts. Controls the endosomal trafficking and neurite outgrowth signaling of NTRK1/TRKA. Regulates the endocytic trafficking of the EGF-EGFR complex by regulating its lysosomal degradation.

• GO:0019886 : antigen processing and presentation of exogenous peptide antigen via MHC class II
• GO:0045022 : early endosome to late endosome transport
• GO:0006897 : endocytosis
• GO:0008333 : endosome to lysosome transport
• GO:0007174 : epidermal growth factor catabolic process
• GO:0090382 : phagosome maturation
• GO:0006622 : protein targeting to lysosome
• GO:0007264 : small GTPase mediated signal transduction

Source: The Gene Ontology Consortium. Gene ontology: tool for the unification of biology. Nat. Genet.. May 2000;25(1):25-9.
World Wide Web URL: http://www.geneontology.org/

Source: Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man, OMIM®. McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD), May, 2012.
World Wide Web URL: http://omim.org/