Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor subtypes (m1-m5) differentially regulate phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase (PLC) through the activation of distinct guanine nucleotide-binding (G) proteins which can be distinguished on the basis of their sensitivity to inhibition by pertussis toxin (PTX). In transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells, the m2 receptor subtype regulates the stimulation of PLC and inhibition of adenylyl cyclase (AC) through PTX-sensitive G proteins. In this study, we utilized the ability of cholera toxin (CTX) to ADP-ribosylate PTX-sensitive alpha subunits as part of the ternary complex formed by heterotrimeric G proteins and agonist-bound receptors to detect and characterize the interactions between transfected m2 receptors and endogenous G proteins in Chinese hamster ovary cells. In membranes derived from cells expressing the m2, but not the m3 receptor, the cholinergic agonist carbachol stimulated CTX modification of a 40-kDa species (G alpha 40). Importantly, similar carbachol dose dependence values and PTX dose sensitivities were observed for m2 receptor-mediated PLC signaling and G alpha 40-CTX modification. High resolution urea-SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis revealed that G alpha i2 (40 kDa) and G alpha i3 (41 kDa) were components of the G alpha 40 identified by m2 receptor-dependent CTX modification. Furthermore, the sensitivities of G alpha i2 and G alpha i3 to PTX modification were determined to be the same as those for PTX inhibition of G alpha 40 labeling by CTX and m2 receptor-mediated PLC signaling. Similarly, agonist-induced desensitization of m2 receptor-G protein signaling required doses of agonist associated with stimulation of PLC. Desensitization involved receptor sequestration and down-regulation of G alpha i3; however, only the reduction of G alpha i3 required prior activation PLC signaling. Finally, desensitization of m2-G protein coupling could be partially mimicked by treatment with thapsigargin, an inducer of intracellular Ca2+ release, without altering the number of cell surface receptors or G protein levels. These results demonstrate that m2 receptors couple to both G alpha i2 and G alpha i3 in vivo and that this interaction is integral to both positive and negative regulatory pathways leading to activation of PLC and desensitization of receptor signaling.