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J Biol Chem, Vol. 273, Issue 44, 28597-28602, October 30, 1998


Second Site Suppressor Mutations of a GTPase-deficient G-Protein alpha -Subunit
SELECTIVE INHIBITION OF Gbeta gamma -MEDIATED SIGNALING*

Donald M. ApanovitchDagger §, Taroh Iiri§parallel , Takatoshi Karasawa**, Henry R. Bourneparallel , and Henrik G. DohlmanDagger Dagger Dagger

From the Dagger  Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06536, the ** Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, and the parallel  Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143

    ABSTRACT
Top
Abstract
Introduction
Materials & Methods
Results
Discussion
References

G proteins transmit signals from cell surface receptors to intracellular effectors. The intensity of the signal is governed by the rates of GTP binding (leading to subunit dissociation) and hydrolysis. Mutants that cannot hydrolyze GTP (e.g. Gsalpha Q227L, Gi2alpha Q205L) are constitutively activated and can lead to cell transformation and cancer. Here we have used a genetic screen to identify intragenic suppressors of a GTPase-deficient form of the Galpha in yeast, Gpa1Q323L. Sequencing revealed second-site mutations in three conserved residues, K54E, R327S, and L353Delta (codon deletion). Each mutation alone results in a complete loss of the beta gamma -mediated mating response in yeast, indicating a dominant-negative mode of inhibition. Likewise, the corresponding mutations in a mammalian Gi2alpha (K46E, R209S, L235Delta ) lead to inhibition of Gbeta gamma -mediated mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase phosphorylation in cultured cells. The most potent of these beta gamma inhibitors (R209S) has no effect on Gi2alpha -mediated regulation of adenylyl cyclase. Despite its impaired ability to release beta gamma , purified recombinant Gpa1R327S is fully competent to bind and hydrolyze GTP. These mutants will be useful for uncoupling Gbeta gamma - and Galpha -mediated signaling events in whole cells and animals. In addition, they serve as a model for drugs that could directly inhibit G protein activity and cell transformation.

    INTRODUCTION
Top
Abstract
Introduction
Materials & Methods
Results
Discussion
References

The actions of many hormones and neurotransmitters are mediated through a cell surface receptor, heterotrimeric "G protein," and an intracellular effector that propagates the signal. Upon agonist binding to the receptor, Galpha undergoes guanine nucleotide exchange and a conformational change leading to dissociation from beta gamma . The subunits remain in the active state until GTP is hydrolyzed, at which time they reassociate and signaling stops.

Not surprisingly, disturbances in the cycle of G protein activation and inactivation can lead to disease. The severe and often fatal diarrhea associated with cholera is caused by the pathogenic exotoxin of Vibrio cholerae (cholera toxin) which promotes ADP-ribosylation of Gsalpha in the gut epithelium. Similarly, whooping cough is caused by a toxin from Bordetella pertusssis and ADP-ribosylation of Gialpha (1). A number of germ line and somatic cell defects in Galpha proteins have also been described. These include both activating and inactivating mutations, which can sometimes lead to cell transformation and cancer (2-4). An early example of an activated G protein allele was described by Landis, et al. (5), who showed that certain types of human pituitary tumors are associated with GTPase-deficient mutants of Gsalpha . Another inherited disorder, known as pseudohypoparathyroidism type Ia, is associated with loss-of-function mutations in Gsalpha (R231H, A366S). Interestingly, Gsalpha A366S is unstable and inactive at 37 °C but is stable and constitutively active at the slightly lower temperature of the male testis, resulting in a paradoxical combination of pseudohypoparathyroidism and testotoxicosis in affected individuals (6).

G proteins can transform cells in at least two ways. First, mutations in Galpha can lead to direct activation of certain effector enzymes, which promote cell proliferation. However, this mechanism appears to be operative in only a minority of cases (3). Alternatively, activating mutations in Galpha can lead to constitutive dissociation from Gbeta gamma . The ability of beta gamma subunits to promote cell proliferation occurs through activation of small GTP-binding proteins such as Rac and Ras, which in turn lead to the activation of Jun and mitogen-activated protein (MAP)1 kinases, respectively (3).

A strikingly similar signaling cascade has been identified through genetic analysis of the mating response pathway in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Haploid yeast cells secrete small peptide pheromones that bind to G protein coupled receptors. The G protein alpha  subunit (GPA1 gene product, Gpa1) does not directly activate any known effector; rather it is beta gamma (Ste4/Ste18) that activates a signaling cascade that includes a MAP kinase homologue, Fus3. This in turn triggers a coordinated series of events required for mating, including cell fusion, new gene transcription, and cell cycle arrest in G1 (7).

A principal goal of pharmacology is to identify drugs that bypass or otherwise compensate for the molecular defects that lead to disease. One emerging strategy is to use genetics to identify protein binding partners of a dysfunctional gene product because any interacting proteins represent alternative (nonmutated) targets for drug therapy (8). Another approach has been to screen for second-site mutations that compensate for the primary defect in a gene. Genetic suppression of a disease-causing mutant provides strong presumptive evidence that pharmacological suppression can also be achieved (9). Indeed, a strategically designed genetic screen can be used to search for drugs having a similar compensatory effect. If structural information is available, it may even be possible to design drugs that mimic the effect of the second-site suppressor mutations.

Past efforts to find second-site suppressors of transforming Ras or G-protein mutants have been unsuccessful (9). Here, we have exploited the genetic tractability of yeast to identify intragenic suppressors of a GTPase-deficient mutant, Gpa1Q323L. Our goal was to find mutants that are locked in the inactive conformation, in both the absence and presence of GTP. Our expectation was that mutations that block subunit dissociation would inhibit Gbeta gamma signaling in a dominant manner. Significantly, the mutations identified in Gpa1 have similar properties when introduced into mammalian Galpha subunits. These findings illustrate the utility of the yeast system to identify G protein mutants with highly selective, and highly potent dominant negative properties.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS
Top
Abstract
Introduction
Materials & Methods
Results
Discussion
References

Strains, Plasmids, Mutagenesis-- Established methods were used for the growth of bacteria Escherichia coli and the manipulation of plasmids (10). All molecular biology reagents were purchased from New England Biolabs and used according to manufacturer instructions. Yeast expression plasmids were pRS316, pRS316-GPA1 (11), pG1501, and pG1501-GPA1 (12). The transcription reporter plasmid was pBJ207 (13), which contains the lacZ gene under the control of FUS1 promoter (14, 15). The bacterial expression plasmid was pET15b (Novagen) (16). The mammalian Galpha expression plasmid was pcDNA1amp (containing EE-epitope tagged versions of Gialpha , Gsalpha , and Gqalpha ) (17, 18). Other mammalian receptor expression vectors are described in the references provided below.

Gpa1 and mammalian Galpha mutants were constructed by oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis (Altered Sites, Promega) and expressed in plasmids pRS316 and pG1501 (Gpa1). Construction of Gpa1Q323L was described previously (19). Other mutant oligonucleotide sequences are as follows: Gsalpha R231S, 5'-GGC GGC CAG CGC GAT GAA TCT AGA AAG TGG ATC CAG TGC; Gqalpha R207S, 5'-GGG GGC CAA AGG TCA GAG TCG CGA AAA TGG ATA CAC TGC; Gi2alpha R205S, 5'-GCA GTG GAT CCA CTT CTT GCT CTC AGA TCT CTG ACC ACC; Gi2alpha K46E, 5'-CTG CTT GAC GAT AGT ACT CTC CCC TGA TTC TCC AGC ACC; Gi2alpha L235Delta , 5'-CAT CTC CTC ATC CTC AGC CAC GAA GTC ATA TGC GCT CAA; Gpa1R327S, 5'-ACA ATG AAT CCA CTT CTT ACT TTC AGA TCT CTG CCC ACC; Gpa1K54E, 5'-GGT GCC GGT GAG TCA GGT GAA AGT ACT GTT TTA AAA CAA; and Gpa1L353Delta , 5'-GTT CTC GAC GCT GGA GGG CAG CGT TCT GAA CGT AAG AAG. Gpa1E364K was obtained from David Stone (University of Illinois, Chicago) (20). All polymerase chain reaction amplification products and mutants were verified by DNA sequencing (Keck Biotechnology Facility, Yale University). Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains used in this study were: YDK499 (bar1::hisG, derived from YPH499 (21)) (Jeremy Thorner, University of California, Berkeley), and YGS5 (11). COS-7 cells, maintained in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's-H21 medium containing 10% calf serum, were transiently transfected by the DEAE-adenovirus method (22, 23). CHO cells were maintained in minimal essential medium alpha  without nucleotides, containing 10% fetal calf serum, and transfected as described for COS-7.

Gpa1 Functional Assays-- Plate growth inhibition (halo) assays and transcription-induction (beta -galactosidase) assays were carried out as described by Dohlman et al. (24). Purification of recombinant Gpa1, time course measurement of [35S]gamma -GTPgamma S binding, and measurements of steady state hydrolysis of [gamma -32P]GTP were performed as described by Apanovitch et al. (16).

cAMP Assay-- cAMP accumulation in intact cells was assayed as described (6, 25). Briefly, 24 h after transfection, cells were replated in 24-well plates at 1.5 × 105 cells/well and labeled with [3H]adenine (4 µCi/ml, Amersham Pharmacia Biotech) for an additional 24 h. After pretreatment with pertussis toxin (where indicated, PTX, 200 ng/ml for 4 h), cells were washed with medium and stimulated with the appropriate agonist in the presence of isobutylmethylxanthine for 25 min. cAMP and ATP fractions were resolved, and cAMP accumulation was estimated by determining the ratio of cAMP radioactivity to the sum of radioactivity of cAMP and ATP.

Inositol Phosphate Accumulation-- Inositol phosphate (IP) accumulation in intact cells was assayed as described (26, 27). Briefly, 24 h after transfection, cells were replated in 24-well plates at 1.5 × 105 cells/well and labeled with myo-[3H]inositol (6 µCi/ml, Amersham Pharmacia Biotech) for 24 h. After washing with a medium containing 5 mM LiCl for 10 min, cells were incubated with the appropriate agonist in the presence of 5 mM LiCl for 45 min. IP and total inositol fractions were resolved on a Dowex AG 1-X8 formate column (Bio-Rad), and IP accumulation was estimated by determining the ratio of IP radioactivity to the sum of radioactivity of IP and total inositol.

Measurement of p44 HA-MAPK Activity-- HA-MAPK activity was assayed as described (26, 28) with modifications. Cells were transfected in 6-well plates at 7 × 105 cells/well, placed in serum-free medium after 28 h, and assayed after an additional 20 h. After pretreatment with PTX (where indicated, 200 ng/ml for 4 h), cells were stimulated with the appropriate agonist for 8 min. HA-MAPK was immunoprecipitated from cell lysates (300 µl, representing 4 × 105 cells) with 2 µg of 12CA5 antibody and 35 µl of protein A-agarose (50% slurry). After washing once with lysis buffer and once with kinase buffer, the agarose beads were incubated at 22 °C for 20 min in 50 µl of kinase buffer (28) containing 250 µg/ml myelin basic protein and 50 µM [gamma -32P]ATP (2 µCi/tube, 700 cpm/pmol, NEN Life Science Products). The reaction was stopped with 5 µl of 88% formic acid, and radioactivity incorporated into myelin basic protein was determined by filtration on Whatman P81 membranes (28).

    RESULTS
Top
Abstract
Introduction
Materials & Methods
Results
Discussion
References

Screening for Intragenic Suppressors of gpa1Q323L-- Our objective here was to identify dominant-negative-type inhibitors of beta gamma -mediated signaling. Our approach was to screen for intragenic suppressors of a GTPase-deficient allele, gpa1Q323L. To this end, the gpa1Q323L mutant was expressed using the galactose-inducible GAL1/10 promoter (plasmid pG1501) in cells lacking GPA1 (gpa1Delta , strain YGS5). The gpa1Delta mutation ordinarily leads to constitutive signaling and cell division arrest; however, YGS5 is viable at 34 °C because of a temperature-sensitive mutation that blocks the signal downstream of beta gamma (ste11ts). Cells were initially maintained in galactose medium at 34 °C and then plated and shifted to 24 °C. Rare colonies that grew under these restrictive conditions were picked, patched, and tested for galactose-dependent growth (Fig. 1, top). Plasmids were isolated from 68 independent colonies and tested for retention of the original Q323L substitution (by restriction digestion). Ten plasmids that satisfied these criteria were sequenced across the entire GPA1 open reading frame. As expected, all retained the Q323L mutation, and all contained one additional mutation at a second position. Two of these were codon substitutions (K54E, R327S) and one was a codon deletion (L353Delta ). We then examined the properties of each mutant without overexpression, in the absence or presence of the Q323L substitution. Single-site and double-site mutations were prepared and expressed using a low copy plasmid (pRS316) and the normal GPA1 promoter. In this case, single-site mutants were able to complement the gpa1Delta mutation but the Q323L and double-site mutants could not (Fig. 1, and data not shown).


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Fig. 1.   Gpa1 mutants can rescue gpa1Delta . Complementation of gpa1Delta was used to determine whether the Gpa1 mutants bind Gbeta gamma in vivo. Strain YGS5 (gpa1Delta ste11ts) was transformed with an overexpression plasmid (pG1501, top) or a normal expression plasmid (pRS316, bottom) containing wild-type Gpa1(WT), GTPase-deficient Gpa1Q323L (QL), Gpa1Q323L+R327S (QL/RS), Gpa1R327S (RS), or vector alone (V). Cells were grown at 34 °C (left) or shifted to 24 °C (right) to activate the signaling pathway. Identical results were obtained for the Q323L+K54E and Q323L+L353Delta mutants (data not shown).

Gpa1 Mutants Inhibit the Mating Response Pathway in Yeast-- Complementation of gpa1Delta reflects an ability of each mutant to bind beta gamma in vivo. We then tested the ability of the mutants to inhibit receptor-dependent signaling in a GPA1+ strain. In this case, all three single-site mutants led to a complete inhibition of pheromone response (determined by the growth inhibition "halo assay," Fig. 2A). The double mutants can also inhibit pheromone signaling (and will even complement gpa1Delta ) but only when overexpressed (data not shown). In comparison, a 2-fold overexpression of wild-type GPA1 led to a more modest inhibition of the pheromone response, and the double-site mutants were without effect (Fig. 2A). The mutant and wild-type forms of Gpa1 were expressed at equal levels, as determined by immunoblotting (data not shown). Similar results were obtained using a pheromone-induced transcription reporter assay (FUS1 promoter, lacZ reporter; Fig. 2B).


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Fig. 2.   Gpa1 mutants block pheromone signaling in a dominant-negative manner. Pheromone-dependent growth arrest (panel A) and transcription (panel B) assays were used to determine whether the Gpa1 mutants interfere with pheromone-dependent signaling in vivo. Strain YDK499 (bar1) was transformed with a transcription reporter plasmid (FUS1 promoter, lacZ gene) and pRS316 containing wild-type Gpa1(WT, open squares), Gpa1Q323L (QL, open circles), Gpa1Q323L+R327S (QL/RS, closed triangles), Gpa1R327S (RS, closed squares), or vector (closed circles). Cells were plated and exposed to filter discs containing 15 µg of alpha -factor for 48 h (panel A), or grown in liquid medium and exposed to a range of alpha -factor concentrations (panel B). The induced expression of lacZ product (beta -galactosidase) was measured after 70 min and is expressed in arbitrary (Miller) units, as detailed under "Materials and Methods." Data shown are representative of at least two independent experiments, with similar results. Identical results were obtained for the Q323L+K54E and Q323L+L353Delta mutants (data not shown).

Inhibition of Gbeta gamma -mediated MAP Kinase Activity in COS-7 Cells-- The results presented in Figs. 1 and 2 reveal that all three single-site mutants will complement a gpa1Delta mutant and can inhibit signaling even in the presence of wild-type Gpa1, consistent with a dominant-negative mode of action. We then examined if the corresponding mutations in a mammalian Galpha would also inhibit beta gamma signaling in cultured cells, using the MAP kinase phosphorylation assay as a read out. Gi2alpha was chosen for these experiments because it does not regulate MAP kinase activity directly, in contrast to Gq and Gs (28).

We constructed versions of Gi2alpha with the K46E, R209S, and L235Delta mutations and transfected these together with the D2-dopamine receptor and an epitope-tagged version of MAP kinase (HA-MAPK). MAP kinase activity was measured after immunoprecipitation by monitoring incorporation of 32P to myelin basic protein.

As shown in Fig. 3, all three Gi2alpha mutants reduced basal MAP kinase activity by ~20%, as compared with control (empty vector) transfected COS-7 cells. Upon stimulation with a D2 agonist quinpirole, phosphorylation was attenuated 20-40% by the mutants, with R209S being the most potent inhibitor. In comparison, two known inhibitors of beta gamma binding---the beta gamma -binding domain of beta -adrenergic receptor kinase (beta ARKDelta ) and the transducin alpha  subunit (alpha t)---inhibited basal phosphorylation by ~30% and quinpirole-stimulated activity by 50-60%. Similar results were obtained using transfected CHO cells (Fig. 3B). Wild-type Gi2alpha does not inhibit beta gamma signaling (data not shown), presumably because the wild-type protein responds normally to activation by the receptor.


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Fig. 3.   Gi2alpha mutants inhibit beta gamma -mediated MAP kinase activation. All three Gi2alpha mutants were tested for their ability to inhibit MAP kinase activity under basal and quinpirole-stimulated conditions. COS-7 cells (panel A) or CHO cells (panel B) were transfected with expression plasmids containing the D2-dopamine receptor, hCG receptor (CHO only), HA-epitope-tagged MAP kinase, and either the beta gamma -binding domain of beta ARK (beta ARKDelta ), transducin alpha  subunit (alpha t), Gi2alpha R209S (alpha iRS), Gi2alpha K46E (alpha iKE), or Gi2alpha L235Delta (alpha iLDelta ), as indicated. Quinpirole (Quin) stimulation of MAP kinase (HA-MAPK) activity was measured after immunoprecipitation by monitoring incorporation of 32P to myelin basic protein, as detailed under "Materials and Methods." beta ARKDelta and transducin (alpha t) are known inhibitors of Gbeta gamma signaling. Pertussis toxin (PTX) is a known inhibitor of Gialpha .

Having determined that Gi2alpha R209S potently inhibits beta gamma -mediated signaling, we also examined if the mutant has any effect on Galpha -mediated signaling events. CHO cells were transfected with Gi2alpha R209S, the D2 dopamine receptor, and the luteinizing hormone/hCG receptor. Whereas, Gi2alpha R209S inhibited agonist-dependent MAP kinase activity by ~40% (Fig. 3B), the same mutant had no effect on hCG-mediated stimulation (via Gs) or quinpirole-mediated inhibition (via Gi) of adenylyl cyclase (Fig. 4A). In comparison, signaling via Gialpha was potently and selectively inhibited by PTX treatment.


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Fig. 4.   Galpha Rright-arrow S mutants do not interfere with Galpha -effector coupling. CHO cells were transfected with expression plasmids containing the D2-dopamine receptor, hCG-receptor, M2-muscarinic receptor, and either Gi2alpha R209S (alpha iRS), Gsalpha R231S (alpha sRS), or Gqalpha R207S (alpha qRS), as described for Fig. 3B. Quinpirole (Quin) inhibition of hCG-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity (panel A), hCG-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity (panel B), or carbachol-stimulated inositol phosphate (IP) production (panel C) was measured, as detailed under "Materials and Methods."

The results presented in Figs. 3 and 4A reveal that Gi2alpha R209S can inhibit signaling through beta gamma but not through Galpha . We also examined whether the corresponding mutations in Gsalpha and Gqalpha would behave similarly, at least with respect to Galpha -mediated signaling events. Gsalpha R231S did not alter hCG-stimulated (Gsalpha -mediated) production of cAMP (Fig. 4B); and Gqalpha R207S had no effect on carbachol-stimulated (Gqalpha -mediated) inositol phosphate production (Fig. 4C). Thus the Arg-to-Ser mutation does not interfere with coupling between receptors and the endogenous (wild-type) Galpha , or between Galpha and its downstream effectors, in all three cases tested.

Biochemical Properties of the Gpa1R327S Mutant-- The Arg-to-Ser mutation leads to a dramatic, dominant-negative-type inhibition of Gbeta gamma activity, at least in the two cases where this could be measured (Gpa1R327S, Gi2alpha R209S). There are at least two ways that such a mutant could block beta gamma signaling. First, it could alter the conformation or subunit binding affinity of Galpha for beta gamma . Second, it could simply prevent binding to GTP. To rule out this more trivial explanation, two types of experiments were performed using purified recombinant Gpa1R327S. First, we measured the rate of pseudo-irreversible binding of [35S]GTPgamma S, which is limited by the rate of GDP dissociation (16, 29). As shown in Fig. 5A, Gpa1R327S is able to exchange GDP for GTPgamma S. As a second measure of GTP binding, we determined the steady state rate of GTP hydrolysis by Gpa1, which also reflects the rate of guanine nucleotide exchange (29). As shown in Fig. 5B, the overall rate of GTP hydrolysis by Gpa1R327S is comparable with that of wild-type. Thus there is no evidence that the R327S substitution prevents GTP binding to Gpa1.


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Fig. 5.   Gpa1R297S can bind and hydrolyze GTP. Gpa1 (WT, open squares), Gpa1R327S (RS, closed squares), and Gpa1Q323L (QL, open circles) were purified from E. coli and compared in their ability to bind and hydrolyze GTP. A, protein was incubated with [35S]GTPgamma S (5 µM), and the percent of bound nucleotide was measured at the indicated times by membrane filtration. B, protein was incubated with [gamma -32P]GTP (5 µM), and 32Pi was measured by charcoal adsorption. Data shown are the average of duplicate measurements and are representative of at least two independent experiments.


    DISCUSSION
Top
Abstract
Introduction
Materials & Methods
Results
Discussion
References

Using a genetic screening strategy in yeast, we have isolated dominant-negative mutations that potently inhibit Gbeta gamma -effector coupling and yet do not interfere with coupling between the receptor and Galpha , or between Galpha and its effector. This is in contrast to previously described dominant-negative alleles (e.g. Gsalpha G226A, Gsalpha G49V) which do affect receptor-Galpha coupling (30-36). Other mutants have more selective inhibitory effects on Gbeta gamma signaling (Goalpha S47C, Goalpha N270D), but these are only modestly better than wild-type Galpha at inhibiting beta gamma function (37). Analogous mutations in yeast (Gpa1G322L, Gpa1N388D, Gpa1G50V) have similar, weakly dominant-negative properties in vivo (20, 36, 38, 39). None of these mutations were found in our screen and have never been shown to suppress a GTPase-deficient allele of Galpha . The highly selective nature of our mutants must stem in part from the powerful selection process used for their identification. Specifically, all three mutants were screened for their ability to suppress an activating mutation in Galpha , a mutation that acts downstream of (and independently of) the receptor.

These results can be interpreted in the context of the available crystal structures of Gt (transducin) (40-43) and Gi1 (44). Those studies revealed three regions in Galpha ---designated switch I, II, and III---that exhibit significant conformational differences in the active (Galpha -GTPgamma S-bound), transition (Galpha -GDP-AlF4-), and inactive (Galpha -GDP-beta gamma ) states. All three switch regions contribute to the binding of guanine nucleotides and Gbeta gamma and are extremely well conserved among all heterotrimeric G proteins including Gpa1. On the basis of these structures, the dominant-negative activity of all three mutants can be rationalized. Thus, K54E results in a charge reversal, introducing a negatively charged side chain in the guanine nucleotide binding pocket and possibly interfering with binding to the gamma  phosphate of GTP (Fig. 6A). This mutation could compensate for the loss of GTPase activity by simply binding GDP preferentially over GTP. The Leu deletion would shorten a loop that constrains the switch II helix in a conformation needed for dissociation of beta gamma (Fig. 6, B versus C). Finally, R327S is likely to disrupt an ion-pair interaction (in the GTP-bound state) between the guanidinium of Arg-327 and the carboxylate of Glu-364. The loss of this high energy interaction could also perturb the conformational change needed for release of beta gamma (Fig. 6, B versus C). Indeed, a substitution at the corresponding Arg of Gsalpha (R231H) is associated with pseudohypoparathyroidism type Ia and exhibits a loss-of-function phenotype in cultured cells (22, 45). A substitution of the ion-pair partner, E268A, has a similar phenotype.2


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Fig. 6.   Structural localization of the second-site suppressor mutations. The location of each Gpa1 mutation is shown in the context of the Gtalpha crystal structure (40-43). Residues are numbered according to the Gpa1 sequence. A, K54E (K42 in Gtalpha ) results in a charge reversal in the guanine nucleotide binding pocket, near the gamma  phosphate of GTP. B, L353Delta (L230 in Gtalpha ) would shorten the loop that connects the beta 4 strand and the alpha 3 helix (above), thereby altering the conformation of the alpha 2 helix (below) that binds to beta gamma . R327S is likely to disrupt an ion-pair interaction between the guanidinium of R327 (alpha 2 helix) and the carboxylate of E364 (alpha 3 helix) (R204, E241 in Gtalpha ). C, same as panel B but in the GTP-bound state showing the conformational change in the alpha 2 helix (switch II domain).

Several challenges remain. Currently we are co-expressing the Arg-to-Ser mutant (as Gialpha ) with oncogenic receptors, G proteins, and effectors in cell culture to determine its ability to block MAP kinase signaling and cell transformation. A long term goal is to express these mutants in animals, to determine how inhibition of Gbeta gamma signaling affects their growth and behavior in vivo. These experiments will help to distinguish Galpha - versus Gbeta gamma -mediated signaling processes in a variety of systems, from yeast to humans.

    FOOTNOTES

* This work was supported by National Institutes of Health Grants GM 55316 (to H. G. D.), GM27800, and CA54427 (to H. R. B.) and by American Cyanamid Company (to H. G. D.).The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. The article must therefore be hereby marked "advertisement" in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.

§ Contributed equally to this work.

American Heart Association Postdoctoral Fellow (CT-96-FW-32).

Dagger Dagger Established Investigator of the American Heart Association. To whom correspondence should be addressed: Dept. of Pharmacology, Boyer Center for Molecular Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, 295 Congress Ave., New Haven, CT 06536-0812; Tel.: 203-737-2203; Fax: 203-737-2290; E-mail: henrik.dohlman{at}yale.edu.

The abbreviations used are: MAP, mitogen-activated protein; HA, hemagglutinin; hCG, chorionic gonadotropin; Quin, quinpirole; PTX, pertussis toxin; Carb, carbachol; cAMP, cyclic adenosine monophosphate; MAPK, mitogen-activated protein kinase; IP, inositol phosphate; CHO, Chinese hamster ovary.

2 T. Iiri and H. R. Bourne, unpublished data.

    REFERENCES
Top
Abstract
Introduction
Materials & Methods
Results
Discussion
References

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