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Subunit Interactions of Heterotrimeric G-Proteins

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GTPases in Biology II

Part of the book series: Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology ((HEP,volume 108 / 2))

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Abstract

A defining feature of the GTP-binding α subunit of the heterotrimeric G-proteins is its interaction with the βγ subunit. Although the G proteins are heterotrimers, they are functional dimers because the β and γ subunits appear not to dissociate under native conditions. The equilibrium between the associated and dissociated states of a and βγ subunits is controlled by the conformational changes in the α subunit that accompany guanine nucleotide binding and hydrolysis. As diagrammed in Fig. 1, when a guanine nucleoside diphosphate is bound to α, the associated form is favored. When the diphosphate is exchanged for a triphosphate, the equilibrium between α and βγ shifts toward dissociation.

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  1. E. J. Neer
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Medicine Cell Biology and Experimental Therapeutics, Houston VA Medical Center, Room 3C-385, 2002 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX, 77030, USA

    Burton F. Dickey M.D.

  2. Department of Cell Biology, Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Medicine and Neurosciences, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA

    Lutz Birnbaumer Ph.D.

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© 1993 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Neer, E.J. (1993). Subunit Interactions of Heterotrimeric G-Proteins. In: Dickey, B.F., Birnbaumer, L. (eds) GTPases in Biology II. Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology, vol 108 / 2. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-78345-6_5

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