These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Thiophosphorylation of the G protein beta subunit in human platelet membranes: evidence against a direct phosphate transfer reaction to G alpha subunits.
    Author: Hohenegger M, Mitterauer T, Voss T, Nanoff C, Freissmuth M.
    Journal: Mol Pharmacol; 1996 Jan; 49(1):73-80. PubMed ID: 8569715.
    Abstract:
    A direct phosphate transfer reaction from the G protein beta subunits to either Gs alpha or Gi alpha has been proposed to account for the ability of thiophosphorylated transducin beta gamma-dimers to bidirectionally regulate adenylyl cyclase activity in human platelet membranes. We searched for experimental evidence for this reaction. Incubation of human platelet membranes with [35S]guanosine-5'-(3-O-thio)triphosphate ([35S]GTP gamma S) results in the predominant incorporation of [35S]thiophosphate into a 36-kDa protein, which comigrates with the G protein beta subunit and is immunoprecipitated by a beta subunit-specific antiserum. Thiophosphorylation of the beta subunit is specific for guanine nucleotides and abolished by the histidine-modifying agent diethylpyrocarbonate and heat and acid treatment. Dephosphorylation of [35S]thiophosphorylated beta subunits is accelerated in the presence of GDP, but not ADP, UDP, or guanosine-5'-(2-O-thio)diphosphate. Neither the thiophosphorylation nor the dephosphorylation is sensitive to receptor agonists (alpha 2-adrenergic, A2 adenosine, thrombin, or insulin), and purified G protein alpha subunits do not act as thiophosphate donors. An approach was designed to demonstrate direct thiophosphate transfer to protein-bound nucleotides; platelet membranes were sequentially exposed to NaIO4, NaCNBH3, and NaBH4, an oxidation-reduction step that covalently incorporates prebound nucleotides into proteins. Under these conditions, multiple radiolabeled proteins are visualized on subsequent addition of [35S]GTP gamma S. This reaction is specific because both oxidation and reduction are required and pretreatment of platelet membranes with 2',3'-dialdehyde GTP gamma S or diethylpyrocarbonate blocks the subsequent labeling in oxidized and reduced membranes. The G protein beta subunit may participate in this thiophosphate transfer reaction. Most important, however, no labeled G protein alpha subunits (Gs alpha and Gi alpha) were recovered by immunoprecipitation from oxidized and reduced membranes subsequent to the addition of [35S]GTP gamma S. Thus, our results clearly rule out the existence of a postulated G protein activation by phosphate transfer reactions, which lead to the formation of GTP from GDP prebound to the alpha subunit.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]