ABSTRACT: GAP1(IP4BP) is a member of the GAP1 family of Ras GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) that includes GAP1(m), CAPRI, and RASAL. Composed of a central Ras GAP-related domain (RasGRD), surrounded by amino-terminal C2 domains and a carboxy-terminal PH/Btk domain, these proteins, with the notable exception of GAP1(m), possess an unexpected arginine finger-dependent GAP activity on the Ras-related protein Rap1 (S. Kupzig, D. Deaconescu, D. Bouyoucef, S. A. Walker, Q. Liu, C. L. Polte, O. Daumke, T. Ishizaki, P. J. Lockyer, A. Wittinghofer, and P. J. Cullen, J. Biol. Chem. 281:9891-9900, 2006). Here, we have examined the mechanism through which GAP1(IP4BP) can function as a Rap1 GAP. We show that deletion of domains on either side of the RasGRD, while not affecting Ras GAP activity, do dramatically