title: Gbetagamma subunit combinations differentially modulate receptor and effector coupling in vivo.
abstract: In vitro, little specificity is seen for modulation of effectors by different combinations of Gbetagamma subunits from heterotrimeric G proteins. Here, we demonstrate that the coupling of specific combinations of Gbetagamma subunits to different receptors leads to a differential ability to modulate effectors in vivo. We have shown that the beta(1)AR and beta(2)AR can activate homomultimers of the human inwardly rectifying potassium channel Kir 3.2 when coexpressed in Xenopus oocytes, and that this requires a functional mammalian Gs heterotrimer. Modulation was independent of cAMP production, suggesting a membrane-delimited mechanism. To analyze further the importance of different Gbetagamma combinations, we have tested the facilitation of Kir 3.2 activation by betaAR mediated by different Gbetagamma subunits. The subunits tested were Gbeta(1,5) and Ggamma(1,2,7,11). These experiments demonstrated significant variation between the ability of the Gbetagamma combinations to activate the channels after receptor stimulation. This was in marked contrast to the situation in vitro where little specificity for binding of a Kir 3.1 C-terminal GST fusion protein by different Gbetagamma combinations was detected. More importantly, neither receptor, although homologous both structurally and functionally, shared the same preference for Gbetagamma subunits. In the presence of beta(1)AR, Gbeta(5)gamma(1) and Gbeta(5)gamma(11) activated Kir 3.2 to the greatest extent, while for the beta(2)AR, Gbeta(1)gamma(7), Gbeta(1)gamma(11,) and Gbeta(5)gamma(2) produced the greatest responses. Interestingly, no preference was seen in the ability of different Gbetagamma subunits to facilitate receptor-stimulated GTPase activity of the Gsalpha. These results suggest that it is not the receptor/G protein alpha subunit interaction or the Gbetagamma/effector interaction that is altered by Gbetagamma, but rather that the ability of the receptor to interact productively with the Gbetagamma subunit directly and/or the G protein/effector complex is dependent on the specific G protein heterotrimer associated with the receptor.
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche, Institut de cardiologie de Montréal et Département d'anésthesie-réanimation, Université de Montréal 5000 rue Bélanger est, H1T 1C8, Montréal, PQ, Canada.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Robillard
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ethier
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lachance
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Hébert
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D051676:G Protein-Coupled Inwardly-Rectifying Potassium Channels; D020962:Heterotrimeric GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying; D018342:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018343:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014981:Xenopus
chemical_list: D051676:G Protein-Coupled Inwardly-Rectifying Potassium Channels; D015221:Potassium Channels; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying; D018342:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-1; D018343:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2; D020962:Heterotrimeric GTP-Binding Proteins