Selectivity in signal transduction determined by gamma subunits of heterotrimeric G proteins

Science. 1993 Feb 5;259(5096):832-4. doi: 10.1126/science.8094261.

Abstract

Various heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding proteins have been identified on the basis of the individual subtypes of their alpha subunits. The beta gamma complexes, composed of beta and gamma subunits, remain tightly associated under physiological conditions and have been assumed to constitute a common pool shared among various guanosine triphosphate (GTP)-binding (G) protein heterotrimers. Particular alpha and beta subunit subtypes participate in the signal transduction processes between somatostatin or muscarinic receptors and the voltage-sensitive L-type calcium channel in rat pituitary GH3 cells. Among gamma subunits the gamma 3 subtype was found to be required for coupling of the somatostatin receptor to voltage-sensitive calcium channels, whereas the gamma 4 subtype was found to be required for coupling of the muscarinic receptor to those channels.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Calcium Channels / physiology*
  • Carbachol / pharmacology
  • GTP-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Oligodeoxyribonucleotides
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense / pharmacology
  • Pituitary Neoplasms
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / isolation & purification
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Signal Transduction / physiology*
  • Somatostatin / pharmacology
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Calcium Channels
  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Oligodeoxyribonucleotides
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Somatostatin
  • Carbachol
  • GTP-Binding Proteins
  • Calcium