GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits

About: GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 304 publications have been published within this topic receiving 19915 citations.

Interaction of a G protein with an activated receptor opens the interdomain interface in the alpha subunit.

Abstract: In G-protein signaling, an activated receptor catalyzes GDP/GTP exchange on the Gα subunit of a heterotrimeric G protein. In an initial step, receptor interaction with Gα acts to allosterically trigger GDP release from a binding site located between the nucleotide binding domain and a helical domain, but the molecular mechanism is unknown. In this study, site-directed spin labeling and double electron–electron resonance spectroscopy are employed to reveal a large-scale separation of the domains that provides a direct pathway for nucleotide escape. Cross-linking studies show that the domain separation is required for receptor enhancement of nucleotide exchange rates. The interdomain opening is coupled to receptor binding via the C-terminal helix of Gα, the extension of which is a high-affinity receptor binding element.

Rgs1 regulates multiple Gα subunits in Magnaporthe pathogenesis, asexual growth and thigmotropism

Abstract: Regulators of G-protein signaling (RGS proteins) negatively regulate heterotrimeric G-protein cascades that enable eukaryotic cells to perceive and respond to external stimuli. The rice-blast fungus Magnaporthe grisea forms specialized infection structures called appressoria in response to inductive surface cues. We isolated Magnaporthe RGS1 in a screen for mutants that form precocious appressoria on non-inductive surfaces. We report that a thigmotropic cue is necessary for initiating appressoria and for accumulating cAMP. Similar to an RGS1-deletion strain, magAG187S (RGS-insensitive Gαs) and magAQ208L (GTPase-dead) mutants accumulated excessive cAMP and elaborated appressoria on non-inductive surfaces, suggesting that Rgs1 regulates MagA during pathogenesis. Rgs1 was also found to negatively regulate the Gαi subunit MagB during asexual development. Deficiency of MAGB suppressed the hyper-conidiation defect in RGS1-deletion strain, whereas magBG183S and magBQ204L mutants produced more conidia, similar to the RGS1-deletion strain. Rgs1 physically interacted with GDP·AlF4−-activated forms of MagA, MagB and MagC (a GαII subunit). Thus, Rgs1 serves as a negative regulator of all Gα subunits in Magnaporthe and controls important developmental events during asexual and pathogenic development.

Direct Interactions with Gαi and Gβγ Mediate Nongenomic Signaling by Estrogen Receptor α

Abstract: Estrogen induces G protein-dependent nongenomic signaling in a variety of cell types via the activation of a plasma membrane-associated subpopulation of estrogen receptor alpha (ER alpha). Using pull-down experiments with purified recombinant proteins, we now demonstrate that ER alpha binds directly to G alpha i and G betagamma. Mutagenesis and the addition of blocking peptide reveals that this occurs via amino acids 251-260 and 271-595 of ER alpha, respectively. Studies of ER alpha complexed with heterotrimeric G proteins further show that estradiol causes the release of both G alpha i and G betagamma without stimulating GTP binding to G alpha i. Moreover, in COS-7 cells, the disruption of ER alpha-G alpha i interaction by deletion mutagenesis of ER alpha or expression of blocking peptide, as well as G betagamma sequestration with beta-adrenergic receptor kinase C terminus, prevents nongenomic responses to estradiol including src and erk activation. In endothelial cells, the disruption of ER alpha-G alpha i interaction prevents estradiol-induced nitric oxide synthase activation and the resulting attenuation of monocyte adhesion that contributes to estrogen-related cardiovascular protection. Thus, through direct interactions, ER alpha mediates a novel mechanism of G protein activation that provides greater diversity of function of both the steroid hormone receptor and G proteins.