title: Measurement of agonist efficacy using an alpha2A-adrenoceptor-Gi1alpha fusion protein.
abstract: A fusion protein was constructed between the porcine alpha2A-adrenoceptor and a pertussis toxin-insensitive (Cys351Gly) form of the alpha subunit of the G protein Gi1. Addition of agonist ligands to membranes of COS-7 cells transiently transfected to express this construct, and treated with pertussis toxin prior to cell harvest, resulted in stimulation of both high affinity GTPase activity and enhanced binding of [35S]GTPgammaS. By considering the fusion protein as an agonist-activated enzyme and measuring Vmax of GTP hydrolysis a range of agonist ligands displayed varying efficacy in their capacity to activate the receptor-associated G protein with adrenaline = noradrenaline = alpha-methylnoradrenaline > UK14304 > BHT933 > or = xylazine = clonidine. A similar rank order was observed following independent co-expression of the alpha2A-adrenoceptor and Cys351Gly-Gi1alpha. These data demonstrate the utility and applicability of using a receptor-G protein fusion protein approach, in which the stoichiometry of receptor and G protein is fixed at 1:1, to measure and further understand the nature of agonist efficacy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wise
authors.forename: I C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Groarke
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Milligan
mesh_terms: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D019556:COS Cells; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D019206:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gi-Go / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016244:Guanosine 5'-O-(3-Thiotriphosphate) / Q000378:metabolism; D008024:Ligands; D037342:Pertussis Toxin; D051381:Rats; D018341:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D013552:Swine; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D008024:Ligands; D018341:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella; D016244:Guanosine 5'-O-(3-Thiotriphosphate); D037342:Pertussis Toxin; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases; D019206:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gi-Go