The alpha subunit of the GTP binding protein activates muscarinic potassium channels of the atrium

Science ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 240 (4860) ◽  
pp. 1782-1783 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Cerbai ◽  
U Klockner ◽  
G Isenberg

It has been debated whether the potassium channel of the atrium is activated by the alpha subunit or by the beta gamma subunits of guanine nucleotide binding (G) proteins, which dissociate on activation with guanosine triphosphate (GTP). Therefore, the channel-activating effectiveness of these subunits on isolated guinea pig atrial cells was tested. The activated alpha K subunit from human erythrocytes activated the channel in subpicomolar concentrations. The beta gamma dimer from bovine brain activated the channel in nanomolar concentrations. These results support the view that, physiologically, the alpha subunit activates the channel.

1987 ◽  
Vol 246 (2) ◽  
pp. 431-439 ◽  
Author(s):  
G L Waldo ◽  
T Evans ◽  
E D Fraser ◽  
J K Northup ◽  
M W Martin ◽  
...  

A guanine-nucleotide-binding protein (G-protein) was purified from cholate extracts of bovine brain membranes by sequential DEAE-Sephacel, Ultrogel AcA-34, heptylamine-Sepharose and Sephadex G-150 chromatography. Guanosine 5′-[gamma-[35S]thio]triphosphate (GTP[35S])-binding activity copurified with a 25,000 Da peptide and a 35,000-36,000 Da protein doublet. Neither pertussis toxin nor cholera toxin catalysed the ADP-ribosylation of a protein associated with the GTP[35S]-binding activity. Photoaffinity labelling of the purified protein with 8-azido[gamma-32P]GTP indicated that the GTP-binding site resides on the 25,000 Da protein. The 35,000-36,000 Da protein doublet was electrophoretically indistinguishable from the beta-subunits of other GTP-binding proteins, and the 36,000 Da protein was recognized by antiserum to oligomeric Gt. The purified protein specifically bound 17.2 nmol of GTP[35S]/mg of protein. The Kd of the binding site for radioligand was approx. 15 nM. The brain GTP-binding protein co-migrated during SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis with a GTP-binding protein, named Gp, purified from human placenta [Evans, Brown, Fraser & Northup (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 7052-7059], and cross-reacted with antiserum raised against the placental protein, but not with antiserum raised to brain Go. SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis of the brain and placental GTP-binding proteins in the presence of Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease yielded identical peptide maps.


1987 ◽  
Vol 247 (1) ◽  
pp. 223-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Milligan ◽  
A M Spiegel ◽  
C G Unson ◽  
E D Saggerson

Adipocytes of hypothyroid rats display an increased responsiveness to agents which function by inhibiting the production of cyclic AMP. Anti-peptide antisera which selectively recognise the alpha subunit of the inhibitory guanine nucleotide binding protein (Gi) detected a 40 kDa polypeptide in adipocyte plasma membranes of both euthyroid and hypothyroid rats. Amounts of the alpha subunit of Gi were elevated some 2-fold in the hypothyroid preparations in comparison with the euthyroid controls, when equal amounts of membrane protein of the two treatments were examined. As cells from the hypothyroid animals contained 2.7 times as much membrane protein as those from the control animals, the amounts of alpha subunit of Gi are elevated some 5.6-fold per cell in adipocytes of the hypothyroid animals compared with the euthyroid controls. Amounts of the 36 kDa beta subunit of G-proteins were also elevated in plasma membranes of adipocytes of hypothyroid animals, in this case by some 50% when compared on a protein basis. These results provide direct evidence for alterations in the amounts of the subunits of Gi caused by the hypothyroid state.


1988 ◽  
Vol 254 (2) ◽  
pp. 391-396 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Milligan ◽  
I Mullaney ◽  
C G Unson ◽  
L Marshall ◽  
A M Spiegel ◽  
...  

The major pertussis-toxin-sensitive guanine nucleotide-binding protein of rat glioma C6 BU1 cells corresponded immunologically to Gi2. Antibodies which recognize the alpha subunit of this protein indicated that it has an apparent molecular mass of 40 kDa and a pI of 5.7. Incubation of membranes of these cells with guanosine 5′-[beta gamma-imido]triphosphate, or other analogues of GTP, caused release of this polypeptide from the membrane in a time-dependent manner. Analogues of GDP or of ATP did not mimic this effect. The GTP analogues similarly caused release of the alpha subunit of Gi2 from membranes of C6 cells in which this G-protein had been inactivated by pretreatment with pertussis toxin. The beta subunit was not released from the membrane under any of these conditions, indicating that the release process was a specific response to the dissociation of the G-protein after binding of the GTP analogue. Similar nucleotide profiles for release of the alpha subunits of forms of Gi were noted for membranes of both the neuroblastoma x glioma hybrid cell line NG108-15 and of human platelets. These data provide evidence that: (1) pertussis-toxin-sensitive G-proteins, in native membranes, do indeed dissociate into alpha and beta gamma subunits upon activation; (2) the alpha subunit of ‘Gi-like’ proteins need not always remain in intimate association with the plasma membrane; and (3) the alpha subunit of Gi2 can still dissociate from the beta/gamma subunits after pertussis-toxin-catalysed ADP-ribosylation.


1992 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. S. Berrow ◽  
G. Milligan ◽  
N. G. Morgan

ABSTRACT Inhibition of insulin secretion from rat islets of Langerhans is known to involve at least one pertussis toxin-sensitive guanine-nucleotide binding (G) protein. We have used antisera raised against unique antigenic determinants of different members of the family of pertussis toxin-sensitive G proteins to identify these proteins in rat islets. Antiserum SG1, which recognizes both Gi1 and Gi2, reacted with an islet protein having an approximate Mr of 40 000. Antiserum IlC (Gi1 specific) failed to recognize any islet proteins, suggesting that Gi2 is present in much greater amounts than Gi1. Indeed, Gi1 levels were below the detection limit of a sensitive immunogold/silver-staining method, indicating that it may be absent from the cells of rat islets. Two different antisera were used to identify Go-like G proteins in rat islet homogenates. Both antisera reacted with a protein band which, under appropriate conditions, could be resolved to reveal two separate proteins of Mr 39–40 000. Thus, at least two molecular forms of Go are present in rat islets. Subcellular fractionation indicated that all three G proteins identified in this study (Gi2 and two forms of Go) are localized to islet membranes. No immunoreactivity could be detected in the cytosolic fraction.


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