Polarized Rac1 signaling is a hallmark of many cellular functions, including cell adhesion, motility, and cell division. The two steps of Rac1 activation are its translocation to the plasma membrane and the exchange of nucleotide from GDP to GTP. It is, however, unclear whether these two processes are regulated independent of each other and what their respective roles are in polarization of Rac1 signaling. We designed a single-particle tracking (SPT) method to quantitatively analyze the kinetics of Rac1 membrane translocation in living cells. We found that the rate of Rac1 translocation was significantly elevated in protrusions during cell spreading on collagen. Furthermore, combining FRET sensor imaging with SPT measurements in the same cell, the recruitment of Rac1 was found to be polarized to an extent similar to that of the nucleotide exchange process. Statistical analysis of singlemolecule trajectories and optogenetic manipulation of membrane lipids revealed that Rac1 membrane translocation precedes nucleotide exchange, and is governed primarily by interactions with phospholipids, particularly PI(3,4,5)P 3 , instead of protein factors. Overall, the study highlights the significance of membrane translocation in spatial Rac1 signaling, which is in addition to the traditional view focusing primarily on GEF distribution and exchange reaction.super-resolution microscopy C ell polarization is critical for many biological processes, such as front−rear polarity during directed cell migration (chemotaxis, haptotaxis, wound healing, etc.), apical−basal polarity in epithelial cells, and axon specification in neuronal cells. The asymmetric distribution of signaling molecules, adhesion components, and cytoskeletal structures is important for the establishment of polarization. Among signaling proteins, the Rho family small GTPase Rac1 is ubiquitously required for cytoskeletal changes leading to a polarized morphology in many cells (1-4).Most small GTPases function as molecular switches, cycling between a GTP-bound active state and a GDP-bound inactive state. Activation of small GTPases typically requires guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) that promote the exchange of GDP for GTP. Inactivation requires the inherent GTPase activity, enhanced by the GTPase Activating Proteins (GAPs) (5, 6). Thus, each Rac1 molecule continuously cycles between the active and inactive state during their intracellular existence.Besides the guanine nucleotide binding cycle, another cycle that governs Rac1 activity is the membrane/cytoplasm translocation cycle. Rac1 GTPase, as with many other small GTPases, is posttranslationally prenylated at its C terminus and is capable of binding to lipid bilayers (7,8). Under basal conditions, the majority of Rac1 localizes to the cytoplasm in complex with RhoGDI molecules, which block its interactions with GEFs and GAPs and its downstream effectors (9-12). To become active, Rac1 needs to translocate to the membrane and be free from RhoGDI binding, allowing for its activation by GEFs and its inter...