title: Are prenyl groups on proteins sticky fingers or greasy handles?
abstract: 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.
authors: 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
authors: Anthony I
authors: AI
authors: Magee
authors: Miguel C
authors: MC
authors: Seabra
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: 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