Are prenyl groups on proteins sticky fingers or greasy handles?
This Commentary discusses the work of Dietrich et al. in this issue of the Biochemical Journal, which sheds new light on the biological roles of protein-bound prenyl groups by providing evidence that the alpha-subunit of the heterotrimeric G-protein transducin has a binding site for the geranylgeranyl group of the gamma-subunit.
Magee
Anthony I
AI
Section of Cell and Molecular Biology, Division of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, UK. t.magee@imperial.ac.uk
Seabra
Miguel C
MC
D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D044385:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits / Q000378:metabolism; D044388:GTP-Binding Protein gamma Subunits / Q000378:metabolism; D020730:Guanine Nucleotide Dissociation Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D020559:Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D017368:Protein Prenylation; D013729:Terpenes / Q000378:metabolism; D015293:Transducin / Q000378:metabolism
D044385:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits; D044388:GTP-Binding Protein gamma Subunits; D020730:Guanine Nucleotide Dissociation Inhibitors; D013729:Terpenes; D015293:Transducin; D020559:Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins