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XB-ART-41372
J Biol Chem 2010 Feb 26;2859:6179-85. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M109.085944.
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G alpha(i) and G betagamma jointly regulate the conformations of a G betagamma effector, the neuronal G protein-activated K+ channel (GIRK).

Berlin S , Keren-Raifman T , Castel R , Rubinstein M , Dessauer CW , Ivanina T , Dascal N .


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Stable complexes among G proteins and effectors are an emerging concept in cell signaling. The prototypical G betagamma effector G protein-activated K(+) channel (GIRK; Kir3) physically interacts with G betagamma but also with G alpha(i/o). Whether and how G alpha(i/o) subunits regulate GIRK in vivo is unclear. We studied triple interactions among GIRK subunits 1 and 2, G alpha(i3) and G betagamma. We used in vitro protein interaction assays and in vivo intramolecular Förster resonance energy transfer (i-FRET) between fluorophores attached to N and C termini of either GIRK1 or GIRK2 subunit. We demonstrate, for the first time, that G betagamma and G alpha(i3) distinctly and interdependently alter the conformational states of the heterotetrameric GIRK1/2 channel. Biochemical experiments show that G betagamma greatly enhances the binding of GIRK1 subunit to G alpha(i3)(GDP) and, unexpectedly, to G alpha(i3)(GTP). i-FRET showed that both G alpha(i3) and G betagamma induced distinct conformational changes in GIRK1 and GIRK2. Moreover, GIRK1 and GIRK2 subunits assumed unique, distinct conformations when coexpressed with a "constitutively active" G alpha(i3) mutant and G betagamma together. These conformations differ from those assumed by GIRK1 or GIRK2 after separate coexpression of either G alpha(i3) or G betagamma. Both biochemical and i-FRET data suggest that GIRK acts as the nucleator of the GIRK-G alpha-G betagamma signaling complex and mediates allosteric interactions between G alpha(i)(GTP) and G betagamma. Our findings imply that G alpha(i/o) and the G alpha(i) betagamma heterotrimer can regulate a G betagamma effector both before and after activation by neurotransmitters.

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Species referenced: Xenopus
Genes referenced: ifn3 kcnj3 kcnj6

References [+] :
Chen, Constitutively active G-protein-gated inwardly rectifying K+ channels in dendrites of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons. 2005, Pubmed