title: The β-Arrestins: Multifunctional Regulators of G Protein-coupled Receptors.
abstract: The β-arrestins (βarrs) are versatile, multifunctional adapter proteins that are best known for their ability to desensitize G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), but also regulate a diverse array of cellular functions. To signal in such a complex fashion, βarrs adopt multiple conformations and are regulated at multiple levels to differentially activate downstream pathways. Recent structural studies have demonstrated that βarrs have a conserved structure and activation mechanism, with plasticity of their structural fold, allowing them to adopt a wide array of conformations. Novel roles for βarrs continue to be identified, demonstrating the importance of these dynamic regulators of cellular signaling.
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Biochemistry and.
authors.forename: Jeffrey S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Biochemistry and Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710 sudarshan.rajagopal@dm.duke.edu.
authors.forename: Sudarshan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rajagopal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019393:Arrestin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D011487:Protein Conformation; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D019393:Arrestin; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
keywords: 7-helix receptor; G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR); arrestin; receptor desensitization; receptor endocytosis; signaling