title: N-terminal binding domain of Galpha subunits: involvement of amino acids 11-14 of Galphao in membrane attachment.
abstract: Heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide binding proteins (G-proteins) transmit signals from membrane receptors to a variety of intracellular effectors. G-proteins reversibly associate with components of the signal transduction system, yet remain membrane attached throughout the cycle of activation. The Galpha subunits remain attached to the plasma membrane through a combination of factors that are only partially defined. We now demonstrate that amino acids within the N-terminal domain of Galpha subunits are involved in membrane binding. We used in vitro translation, a technique widely utilized to characterize functional aspects of G-proteins, and interactions with donor-acceptor membranes to demonstrate that amino acids 11-14 of Galphao contribute to membrane binding. The membrane binding of Galphao lacking amino acids 11-14 (D[11-14]) was significantly reduced at all membrane concentrations in comparison with wild-type Galphao. Several other N-terminal mutants of Galphao were characterized as controls, and these results indicate that differences in myristoylation, palmitoylation and betagamma interactions do not account for the reduced membrane binding of D[11-14]. Furthermore, when membrane attachment of Galphao and mutants was characterized in transiently transfected 35S-labelled and [3H]myristate-labelled COS cells, amino acids 11-14 contributed to membrane binding. These studies reveal that membrane binding of Galpha subunits occurs by a combination of factors that include lipids and amino acid sequences. These regions may provide novel sites for interaction with membrane components and allow additional modulation of signal transduction.
authors.affiliation: Renal Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis St., Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Busconi
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Boutin
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Denker
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D019556:COS Cells; D002417:Cattle; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D004285:Dogs; D051960:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunit, Gi2; D019206:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gi-Go; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D008715:Methionine / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D019814:Myristic Acid; D009227:Myristic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D017354:Point Mutation; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D009227:Myristic Acids; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019814:Myristic Acid; D008715:Methionine; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins; D051960:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunit, Gi2; D019206:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gi-Go; C498017:Gnai2 protein, rat