What proteins facilitate the docking and tethering of transport vesicles to target membranes?

The correct choice involves Rab GTPase and its effectors, which play a crucial role in the vesicular transport process. Rab GTPases are small GTP-binding proteins that act as molecular switches to regulate membrane traffic. They are specific to particular membranes and help in identifying the target membranes for transport vesicles.

Once a vesicle reaches its target membrane, Rab GTPases bind to specific Rab effectors that facilitate the docking and tethering of the vesicle. This interaction is essential for ensuring that vesicles fuse with the correct membranes, thereby allowing the contents of the vesicle to be delivered to the desired cellular compartment.

This intricate process is vital for maintaining cellular organization, enabling the correct transport of proteins and other molecules to their respective destinations. Understanding the role of Rab GTPases and Rab effectors is fundamental in studying cellular transport mechanisms and their implications in various biological functions and diseases.