Activation of transducin guanosine triphosphatase by two proteins of the RGS family.

RGS proteins (regulators of G protein signaling) constitute a newly appreciated group of negative regulators of G protein signaling. Several members of this group stimulate the guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) activity of various G protein alpha-subunits, including the photoreceptor G protein, transducin. In photoreceptor cells transducin GTPase is known to be substantially accelerated by the coordinated action of the gamma-subunit of its effector enzyme, cGMP phosphodiesterase (PDE gamma), and another yet unidentified membrane-associated protein factor. Here we test the possibility that this factor belongs to the RGS family of GTPase stimulators. We report a detailed kinetic analysis of transducin GTPase activation by two members of the RGS family, RGS4 and G alpha interacting protein (GAIP). RGS4, being at least 5-fold more potent than GAIP, stimulates the rate of transducin GTPase by 2 orders of magnitude. Neither RGS4 nor GAIP requires PDE gamma for activating transducin. Rather, PDE gamma causes a partial reversal of transducin GTPase activation by RGS proteins. The effect of PDE gamma is based on a decreased apparent affinity of RGS for the alpha-subunit of transducin. Our observations indicate that GTPase activity of transducin can be activated by at least two distinct mechanisms, one based on the action of RGS proteins alone and another involving the cooperative action of the effector enzyme and another protein.

[A study of the interaction of immobilized delipidized rhodopsin with G-proteins]. / Izuchenie vzaimodeistviia immobilizovannogo delipidizirovannogo rodopsina s G-belkami.

It was shown that delipidated rhodopsin immobilized on concanavalin A-Sepharose (Rimm) binds with high selectivity transducin from total extracts of rod outer segment protein as well as the regulatory GTP-binding Gi- and Go-like proteins from solubilized membranes of bovine brain. The Rimm-bound proteins are eluted in the presence of the nonionic detergent, octyl glucoside, and GTP. This suggests that Rimm can be used as an affinity adsorbent for the isolation and purification of G-proteins.

The binding of G proteins to immobilized delipidated rhodopsin.

We have shown that delipidated rhodopsin immobilized on Concanavalin A-Sepharose is capable of binding transducin from crude bovine rod outer segment proteins and GIP-binding proteins (G proteins) of Go/Gi-type from solubilized bovine brain membrane as well. The binding is reversible in the presence of a solution containing 1.2% octyl-beta, D-glucopyranoside and 1 mM GTP. Also, alpha-subunits account for a large fraction of the G proteins which are bound to and then eluted from the immobilized rhodopsin. Concanavalin A-bound delipidated rhodopsin seems to be a useful model in isolating and purifying different G-proteins from crude cell lysates and solubilized membranes as well as for studying G-protein-receptor interaction.