The G-protein beta-subunit GPB-2 in Caenorhabditis elegans regulates the G(o)alpha-G(q)alpha signaling network through interactions with the regulator of G-protein signaling proteins EGL-10 and EAT-16.
The genome of Caenorhabditis elegans harbors two genes for G-protein beta-subunits. Here, we describe the characterization of the second G-protein beta-subunit gene gpb-2. In contrast to gpb-1, gpb-2 is not an essential gene even though, like gpb-1, gpb-2 is expressed during development, in the nervous system, and in muscle cells. A loss-of-function mutation in gpb-2 produces a variety of behavioral defects, including delayed egg laying and reduced pharyngeal pumping. Genetic analysis shows that GPB-2 interacts with the GOA-1 (homologue of mammalian G(o)alpha) and EGL-30 (homologue of mammalian G(q)alpha) signaling pathways. GPB-2 is most similar to the divergent mammalian Gbeta5 subunit, which has been shown to mediate a specific interaction with a Ggamma-subunit-like (GGL) domain of RGS proteins. We show here that GPB-2 physically and genetically interacts with the GGL-containing RGS proteins EGL-10 and EAT-16. Taken together, our results suggest that GPB-2 works in concert with the RGS proteins EGL-10 and EAT-16 to regulate GOA-1 (G(o)alpha) and EGL-30 (G(q)alpha) signaling.
van der Linden
A M
AM
Hubrecht Laboratory, Centre for Biomedical Genetics, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Simmer
F
F
Cuppen
E
E
Plasterk
R H
RH
D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001483:Base Sequence; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000378:metabolism*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; D020555:GTP-Binding Protein Regulators; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010641:Phenotype; D020710:RGS Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D020798:Two-Hybrid System Techniques
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; C120636:EAT-16 protein, C elegans; C105577:EGL-10 protein, C elegans; D020555:GTP-Binding Protein Regulators; D015801:Helminth Proteins; D020710:RGS Proteins; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins