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T Katada

Publications and source records attributed to T Katada.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

The primary structure of the alpha subunit of a starfish guanosine-nucleotide-binding regulatory protein involved in 1-methyladenine-induced oocyte maturation.

Starfish-oocyte maturation induced by 1-methyladenine (MeAde) was inhibited by microinjection of pertussis toxin (PTX). The inhibition appeared to result from PTX-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation of a 39-kDa guanosine-nucleotide-binding regulatory protein (G protein) in the oocyte. These results strongly support the hypothesis that the MeAde-induced signals operate via a membrane receptor and are carried by the PTX-sensitive G protein. When PTX-injected oocytes were treated with dithiothreitol, 85% of them reinitiated meiosis, suggesting that dithiothreitol did not act on the MeAde receptor. We constructed a cDNA library from the immature ovary of starfish, Asterina pectinifera, and screened it with the cDNA of the alpha subunit of an inhibitory rat G protein (Gi-2). A positive cDNA clone contained an open reading frame of 1062 bases which had 74% identity with the rat Gi-2 cDNA. The deduced amino acid sequence was 85% and 89% identical to rat Gi-2 and rat Gi-1, respectively. The alpha subunit of the G protein purified from cortices of starfish oocytes was digested by trypsin and the resulting four peptides were microsequenced. Comparison of these amino acid sequences with the predicted one indicated that the isolated cDNA clone encoded the alpha subunit of the PTX-sensitive G protein in oocytes. The C-terminal sequence, KNNLKDCGLF, was identical to that of Gi, suggesting that the cysteine residue is the site of ADP-ribosylation.

Adenine↗

Properties of 1-methyladenine receptors in starfish oocyte membranes: involvement of pertussis toxin-sensitive GTP-binding protein in the receptor-mediated signal transduction.

In response to a meiosis-inducing hormone, 1-methyladenine (1-MA), starfish oocytes undergo reinitiation of meiosis with germinal vesicle breakdown. The 1-MA-initiated signal is, however, inhibited by prior microinjection of pertussis toxin into the oocytes, suggesting that a guanine nucleotide-binding protein (G protein) serving as the substrate of pertussis toxin is involved in the 1-MA receptor-mediated signal. We thus investigated properties of 1-MA receptors by means of binding of the radiolabeled ligand to the oocyte membranes. There were apparently two forms of 1-MA receptors with high and low affinities in the membranes. The high-affinity form was converted into the low-affinity one in the presence of a non-hydrolyzable analogue of GTP. A 39-kDa protein, which had been identified as the alpha-subunit of the major substrate G protein for pertussis toxin, was also ADP-ribosylated by cholera toxin only when 1-MA was added to the membranes. The ADP-ribosylated 39-kDa alpha-subunit could be immunoprecipitated with antibodies raised against the carboxy-terminal site of mammalian inhibitory G-alpha. These results indicate that 1-MA receptors are functionally coupled with the 39-kDa pertussis toxin-substrate G protein in starfish oocyte membranes.

Adenine↗

Activation of nucleoside diphosphate kinase by mastoparan, a peptide isolated from wasp venom.

We have previously reported that GDP-bound alpha beta gamma-trimeric GTP-binding (G) proteins can be converted into the active GTP-bound form with nucleoside diphosphate (NDP) kinase and ATP, although its exact activation mechanism still remains to be resolved. In the present study, we investigated whether NDP kinase activity was modified by mastoparan, a wasp venom peptide that is known to activate G proteins as an agonist-receptor complex. The activity of NDP kinase measured by the formation of GTP from ATP and GDP was markedly stimulated, when the kinase was incubated with mastoparan. The concentration of mastoparan required for the activation was much lower than that observed for the peptide-induced activation of G proteins under similar assay conditions. There was also an increase in the phosphorylated intermediate of NDP kinase as well as the catalytic activity upon its incubation with mastoparan. These results suggest that mastoparan not only activates G proteins directly via guanine nucleotide exchange reaction but also stimulates NDP kinase activity.

Animals↗

Direct activation of purified Go-type GTP binding protein by tricyclic antidepressants.

A growing body of evidence suggests that tricyclic antidepressant agents (TCAs) interact with GTP binding proteins (G proteins). We have investigated if TCAs directly alter the function of the purified Go protein which is specifically expressed in neuronal tissue. Several TCAs markedly enhanced the GTPase activity of Go protein in a pertussis toxin-susceptible manner, whereas MAO-inhibitor and anxiolytic agent did not. This enhancing effect of TCAs on Go function may be due to an increase in the GDP-GTP exchange reaction occurring on Go. Thus, it is very likely that TCAs can modify various signal transduction by directly interacting with G proteins in brain cells.

Animals↗

Molecular heterogeneity of the beta gamma-subunits of GTP-binding proteins in bovine brain membranes.

The guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G proteins) are heterotrimers composed of alpha-, beta-, and gamma-subunits, and each of the constituent subunits has been reported to exhibit a molecular heterogeneity. The beta- and gamma-subunits form a functional unit that does not separate under physiological conditions and interact with various alpha-subunits that appear to mainly regulate specific effectors. We thus purified the beta gamma-complex of G proteins from bovine brain membranes and found that there were chromatographically multiple forms of beta gamma-subunits which could be reassociated with various alpha-subunits. The major findings observed with the purified proteins were summarized as follows. (a) The constituent beta gamma-subunits in the brain membrane G proteins appeared to be divided into two groups in their elution profiles from a hydrophobic column. (b) Each of the two groups contained at least five different components of beta gamma-subunits upon analyzing by a high-resolution, anion-exchange column. (c) Distribution of the heterogeneous beta gamma-subunits was not identical among various trimeric G proteins such as Gi, G0, and Gs. (d) The heterogeneous beta gamma-components were able to interact with a specific alpha-subunit resulting in the alpha beta gamma-trimer that served as the substrate of pertussis toxin-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation. (e) However, the apparent abilities of some beta gamma-subunits to support the toxin-induced modification were significantly different in a special comparison between the two beta gamma-groups that were eluted from the hydrophobic column. These results indicated that there were multiple forms of beta gamma-subunits associating with the specific alpha-subunit of a trimeric G protein and that some of those had different affinities for various alpha-subunits in terms of their tight associations. A possible role of the heterogeneity in beta gamma-subunits is also discussed in terms of G protein-mediated signal transductions.

Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose↗

A GTP-binding protein in rat liver nuclei serving as the specific substrate of pertussis toxin-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation.

The ADP-ribosyl moiety of NAD was transferred to a 40-kDa protein when rat liver nuclei were incubated with pertussis toxin. The 40-kDa substrate in the nuclei displayed unique properties as follows, some of which were apparently distinct from those observed with the toxin-substrate GTP-binding protein (Gi) in the liver plasma membranes. 1) The nuclear 40-kDa protein was recognized with antibodies reacting with the alpha-subunits (alpha i-1 and alpha i-2) of Gi, but not with anti-Go-alpha-subunit antibody. 2) The nuclear protein had a higher mobility than alpha-subunit of the plasma membrane-bound Gi upon electrophoresis with a urea/sodium dodecyl sulfate-containing polyacrylamide gel. 3) The nuclear protein was not extracted from the nuclei with 1% Triton X-100, whereas Gi was easily solubilized from the plasma membranes. 4) There was a beta gamma-subunit-like activity in the nuclei, which was assayed by an ability to support pertussis toxin-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation of a purified alpha-subunit of Gi. Moreover, a 36-kDa protein in the nuclei was recognized with antibody raised against purified beta-subunits of Gi. 5) Pertussis toxin-induced ADP-ribosylation of the nuclear protein was selectively inhibited by the addition of a nonhydrolyzable GTP analogue, and its inhibitory action was competitively blocked by the simultaneous addition of GDP or its analogues, as had been observed with plasma membrane-bound Gi. It thus appeared that a novel form of alpha beta gamma-trimeric GTP-binding protein serving as the substrate of pertussis toxin was present in rat liver nuclei. In order to examine a possible role of the nuclear GTP-binding protein, rats were injected with carbon tetrachloride, a necrosis inducer of hepatocytes. There was a marked increase in the nuclear substrate activity from 3-6 days after the injection, without a significant change in the activity of Gi in the plasma membranes. The time course of the increase corresponded with a recovering stage from the hepatocyte necrosis. These results suggested that the nuclear GTP-binding protein found in the present study might be involved at some stages in the hepatocyte growth.

Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose↗

Modification of the function of pertussis toxin substrate GTP-binding protein by cholera toxin-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation.

The alpha-subunit of Gi-2, in addition to that of Gs (GTP-binding proteins involved in adenylate cyclase inhibition and stimulation, respectively) was ADP-ribosylated by cholera toxin in HL-60 cell membranes when a chemotactic receptor was stimulated by formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (fMLP), and the sites modified by cholera and pertussis toxins on the alpha-subunit of Gi-2 were different (Iiri, T., Tohkin, M., Morishima, N., Ohoka, Y., Ui, M., and Katada, T. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 21394-21400). In order to investigate how the functions of Gi-2 were modified by cholera toxin, the ADP-ribosylated and unmodified proteins were purified from HL-60 cell membranes that had been incubated in the presence and absence of cholera toxin, respectively. The modified Gi-2 displayed unique properties as follows. 1) The ADP-ribosylated alpha-subunit had a more acidic pI than the unmodified one, leading to a partial resolution of the modified Gir2 trimer from the unmodified protein by an anion column chromatography. 2) When the purified proteins were incubated with [gamma-32P]GTP, the radioactivity was more greatly retained in the modified Gi-2 than in the unmodified protein. 3) The actual catalytic rate (kcat) of GTP hydrolysis was, indeed, markedly inhibited by cholera toxin-induced modification. 4) There was an increase in the apparent affinity of Gi-2 for GDP by cholera toxin-induced modification. 5) The modified Gi-2 exhibited a low substrate activity for pertussis toxin-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation. 6) A high-affinity fMLP binding to HL-60 cell membranes was more effectively reconstituted with the ADP-ribosylated Gi-2 than with the unmodified protein. These results suggested that the agonist-fMLP receptor complex was effectively coupled with the ADP-ribosylated Gi-2, resulting in the GTP-bound form, and that the hydrolysis of GTP on the modified alpha-subunit was selectively attenuated. Thus, cholera toxin ADP-ribosylated Gi-2 appeared to be not only a less sensitive pertussis toxin substrate but also an efficient signal transducer between receptors and effectors.

Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose↗

On the mechanism of G protein beta gamma subunit activation of the muscarinic K+ channel in guinea pig atrial cell membrane. Comparison with the ATP-sensitive K+ channel.

The mechanism of G protein beta gamma subunit (G beta gamma)-induced activation of the muscarinic K+ channel (KACh) in the guinea pig atrial cell membrane was examined using the inside-out patch clamp technique. G beta gamma and GTP-gamma S-bound alpha subunits (G alpha *'s) of pertussis toxin (PT)-sensitive G proteins were purified from bovine brain. Either in the presence or absence of Mg2+, G beta gamma activated the KACh channel in a concentration-dependent fashion. 10 nM G beta gamma almost fully activated the channel in 132 of 134 patches (98.5%). The G beta gamma-induced maximal channel activity was equivalent to or sometimes larger than the GTP-gamma S-induced one. Half-maximal activation occurred at approximately 6 nM G beta gamma. Detergent (CHAPS) and boiled G beta gamma preparation could not activate the KACh channel. G beta gamma suspended by Lubrol PX instead of CHAPS also activated the channel. Even when G beta gamma was pretreated in Mg(2+)-free EDTA internal solution containing GDP analogues (24-48 h) to inactivate possibly contaminating G i alpha *'s, the G beta gamma activated the channel. Furthermore, G beta gamma preincubated with excessive GDP-bound G o alpha did not activate the channel. These results indicate that G beta gamma itself, but neither the detergent CHAPS nor contaminating G i alpha *, activates the KACh channel. Three different kinds of G i alpha * at 10 pM-10 nM could weakly activate the KACh channel. However, they were effective only in 40 of 124 patches (32.2%) and their maximal channel activation was approximately 20% of that induced by GTP-gamma S or G beta gamma. Thus, G i alpha * activation of the KACh channel may not be significant. On the other hand, G i alpha *'s effectively activated the ATP-sensitive K+ channel (KATP) in the ventricular cell membrane when the KATP channel was maintained phosphorylated by the internal solution containing 100 microM Mg.ATP. G beta gamma inhibited adenosine or mACh receptor-mediated, intracellular GTP-induced activation of the KATP channel. G i alpha *'s also activated the phosphorylated KATP channel in the atrial cell membrane, but did not affect the background KACh channel. G beta gamma subsequently applied to the same patch caused prominent KACh channel activation. The above results may indicate two distinct regulatory systems of cardiac K+ channels by PT-sensitive G proteins: G i alpha activation of the KATP channel and G beta gamma activation of the KACh channel.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Functional modification by cholera-toxin-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation of a guanine-nucleotide-binding regulatory protein serving as the substrate of pertussis toxin.

The alpha subunits of Gi (Gi alpha) and Gs (guanine-nucleotide-binding proteins involved in adenylate cyclase inhibition and stimulation, respectively) was ADP-ribosylated by cholera toxin in differentiated HL-60 cell membranes upon stimulation of chemotactic receptors by fMLF (fM, N-formylmethionine). The ADP-ribosylation site of Gi alpha modified by cholera toxin appeared to be different from that modified by pertussis toxin [Iiri, T., Tohkin, M., Morishima, N., Ohoka, Y., Ui, M. & Katada, T. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 21,394-21,400]. This allowed us to investigate how the two types of ADP-ribosylation influence the function of the signal-coupling protein. The major findings observed in HL-60 cell membranes, where the same Gi alpha molecule was ADP-ribosylated by treatment of the membranes with either toxin, are summarized as follows. (a) More fMLF bound with a high affinity to cholera-toxin-treated membranes than to the control membranes. The high-affinity binding was, however, not observed in pertussis-toxin-treated membranes. (b) Although fMLF stimulated guanine nucleotide binding and GTPase activity in control membranes, stimulation was almost completely abolished in pertussis-toxin-treated membranes. In contrast, fMLF-dependent stimulation of GTPase activity, but not that of guanine nucleotide binding was attenuated in cholera-toxin-treated membranes. (c) Gi alpha, once modified by cholera toxin, still served as a substrate of pertussis-toxin-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation; however, the ADP-ribosylation rate of modified Gi was much lower than that of intact Gi. These results suggested that Gi ADP-ribosylated by cholera toxin was effectively capable of coupling with fMLF receptors, resulting in formation of high-affinity fMLF receptors, and that hydrolysis of GTP bound to the alpha subunit was selectively impaired by its ADP-ribosylation by cholera toxin. Thus, unlike the ADP-ribosylation of Gi by pertussis toxin, cholera-toxin-induced modification would be of great advantage to the interaction of Gi with receptors and effectors that are regulated by the signal-coupling protein. This type of modification might also be a candidate for unidentified G proteins which were less sensitive to pertussis toxin and appeared to be involved in some signal-transduction systems.

Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose↗

Purification and characterization of a GTP-binding protein serving as pertussis toxin substrate in starfish oocytes.

In response to a meiosis-inducing hormone, 1-methyladenine (1-MA), starfish oocytes undergo reinitiation of meiosis with germinal vesicle breakdown. The 1-MA-initiated signal is, however, inhibited by prior microinjection of pertussis toxin into the oocytes (Shilling, F., Chiba, K., Hoshi, M., Kishimoto, T., and Jaffe, L.A. (1989) Dev. Biol. 133, 605-608), suggesting that a pertussis-toxin-sensitive guanine-nucleotide-binding protein (G protein) is involved in the 1-MA-induced signal transduction. Based on these findings, we purified a G protein serving as the substrate of pertussis toxin from the plasma membranes of starfish oocytes. The purified G protein had an alpha beta gamma-trimeric structure consisting of 39-kDa alpha, 37-kDa beta, and 8-kDa gamma subunits. The 39-kDa alpha subunit contained a site for ADP-ribosylation catalyzed by pertussis toxin. The alpha subunit was also recognized by antibodies specific for a common GTP-binding site of many mammalian alpha subunits or a carboxy-terminal ADP-ribosylation site of mammalian inhibitory G-alpha. An antibody raised against mammalian 36-/35-kDa beta subunits strongly reacted with the 37-kDa beta subunit of starfish G protein. The purified starfish G protein had a GTP-binding activity with a high affinity and displayed a low GTPase activity. The activity of the G protein serving as the substrate for pertussis-toxin-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation was inhibited by its association with a non-hydrolyzable GTP analogue. Thus, the starfish G protein appeared to be similar to mammalian G proteins at least in terms of its structure and properties of nucleotide binding and the pertussis toxin substrate. A possible role of the starfish G protein is also discussed in the signal transduction between 1-MA receptors and reinitiation of meiosis with germinal vesicle breakdown.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Amino acid sequence determination of the novel forms of Go alpha purified from bovine brain membranes.

Previously we have reported that there are at least four different forms of Go alpha in bovine brain membranes which can be distinguished by their elution profiles from Mono Q column and their immunological reactivities. The four alpha-subunits are referred to as alpha o1, alpha o2, alpha o3 and alpha o4 in their elution orders from the column. Partial amino acid sequences of the purified alpha o1 and alpha o2 were determined and compared with the predicted sequences of two classes of Go alpha cDNAs, termed Go alpha-1 and Go alpha-2. There were at least two unique fragments corresponding with the predicted amino acid sequence of the Go alpha-2 cDNA but different from that of the Go alpha-1 cDNA upon tryptic digestion of alpha o1- or alpha o2-subunit. The alpha o3- and alpha o4-subunits, but not alpha o1-and alpha o2-subunits, were recognized by an antibody raised against a unique amino acid sequence predicted from Go alpha-1 cDNA. These results suggest that alpha o1,2 subunits and alpha o3,4 subunits are encoded by Go alpha-2 cDNA and Go alpha-1 cDNA, respectively.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Direct activation of GTP-binding proteins by venom peptides that contain cationic clusters within their alpha-helical structures.

Direct interactions of venom peptides that contained a cysteine-stabilized alpha-helical motif within their internal molecules with alpha beta gamma-trimeric GTP-binding proteins (G proteins) were studied in reconstituted phospholipid vesicles. Mast cell-degranulating (MCD) peptide stimulated the steady-state rate of GTP hydrolysis catalyzed by the reconstituted G proteins. Synthetic D-MCD peptide, the optical isomer of MCD peptide, was also effective in the activation of G proteins as L-MCD peptide. The stimulations by L- and D-peptides were both abolished in G proteins that had been ADP-ribosylated by pertussis toxin. Charybdotoxin also stimulated, though slightly, the GTPase activity of G proteins. Such a stimulation was, however, not observed upon the incubation of G proteins with other venom peptides such as apamin, sarafotoxin and endothelin. Thus, in comparison of the amino acid sequences of their venom peptides, the extent of the activation of G proteins appeared to be correlated with the number of basic amino acid residues around the alpha-helix. These results suggest that cationic clusters at one side of the alpha-helical surface are more important in the direct activation of G proteins than a specific, alpha-helical structure.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Characterization of cytosolic pertussis toxin-sensitive GTP-binding protein in mastocytoma P-815 cells.

We have characterized a soluble pertussis toxin (PT)-sensitive GTP-binding protein (G-protein) present in mouse mastocytoma P-815 cells. 65% of total ADP-ribosylation of PT substrate having a molecular mass of 40 kDa on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in cell homogenate was detected in the supernatant after centrifugation at 100,000 x g for 90 min. [32P]ADP-ribosylation of cytosolic PT substrate was significantly enhanced on the addition of exogenous beta gamma complex. The molecular mass of the cytosolic PT substrate was estimated to be about 80 kDa on an Ultrogel AcA 44 column, but the beta gamma complex was not detected in the cytosol by using the anti-beta gamma complex antibody. Furthermore, the cytosolic PT substrate was found to have some unique properties: [35S]GTP gamma S binding was not inhibited by GDP and [32P]ADP-ribosylation was not affected by GTP gamma S treatment. Only after the cytosolic PT substrate had been mixed with exogenous beta gamma complex, did it copurify with exogenous beta gamma complex by several column chromatographies including an Octyl-Sepharose CL-4B column. The PT substrate was identified as Gi2 alpha by Western blot analysis and peptide mapping with S. aureus V8 protease. These results suggest that Gi2 alpha without beta gamma complex exists with an apparent molecular mass of about 80 kDa in the cytosolic fraction of P-815 cells.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

Identification of a botulinum C3-like enzyme in bovine brain that catalyzes ADP-ribosylation of GTP-binding proteins.

A novel enzyme activity was found in bovine brain cytosol that transfers the ADP-ribosyl moiety of NAD to proteins with Mr values of 22,000 and 25,000. The substrates were the same GTP-binding proteins serving as the substrate of an ADP-ribosyltransferase C3 which was produced by a type C strain of Clostridium botulinum. The brain enzyme was partially purified from the cytosol and had a molecular mass of approximately 20,000 on a gel filtration column. The brain endogenous enzyme displayed unique properties similar to those observed with botulinum C3 enzyme. The enzyme activity was markedly stimulated by a protein factor that had been initially found in the cytosol as an activator for botulinum C3-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation (Ohtsuka, T., Nagata, K., Iiri, T., Nozawa, Y., Ueno, K., Ui, M., and Katada, T. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 15000-15005). The activity of the brain enzyme was also affected by certain types of detergents or phospholipids. The substrate of the brain enzyme was specific for GTP-binding proteins serving as the substrate of botulinum C3 enzyme; the alpha-subunits of trimeric GTP-binding proteins which served as the substrate of cholera or pertussis toxin were not ADP-ribosylated by the endogenous enzyme. Thus, this is the first report showing an endogenous enzyme in mammalian cells that catalyzes ADP-ribosylation of small molecular weight GTP-binding proteins.

ADP Ribose Transferases↗

Interaction of guanine-nucleotide-binding regulatory proteins with chemotactic peptide receptors in differentiated human leukemic HL-60 cells.

Human leukemic HL-60 cells were differentiated into neutrophil-like cells by treatment with dimethylsulfoxide (Me2SO) or N6,O2'-dibutyryladenosine 3',5'-phosphate (Bt2cAMP), and membrane fractions were prepared from the differentiated cells. Receptors for fMLF (fM,N-formylmethionine) and guanine-nucleotide-binding regulatory proteins (G proteins) serving as the substrate for pertussis toxin (islet-activating protein; IAP) were extracted from cell membranes then reconstituted into phospholipid vesicles. The binding of fMLF to the reconstituted vesicles (or the membranes) was determined with 10 nM [3H] fMLF. In both cases, high-affinity binding to vesicle preparations from the Me2SO- and Bt2cAMP-induced cells was abolished following treatment with IAP, suggesting that fMLF receptors were functionally coupled to IAP-sensitive G proteins in each of the two vesicle types. However, the high-affinity fMLF binding was much higher in vesicle preparations originating from Bt2cAMP-induced cells than in those from Me2SO-induced cells, although the amount of IAP-substrate G protein reconstituted into the each phospholipid vesicles preparation was not significantly different from the other. The G proteins of the two differentiated cells were both identified as inhibitory forms (Gi-2) based on their electrophoretic mobilities and immunoblot analyses. When purified Gi-2 from rat brain was reconstituted into the two IAP-treated vesicles, high-affinity fMLF binding was restored in a similar manner in both. IAP-substrate G proteins partially purified from the two differentiated HL-60 cells were also effective in restoring high-affinity fMLF binding to the IAP-treated vesicles. However, a significant difference was observed that the reconstituted binding was higher with the G-protein-rich fraction from Bt2cAMP-induced cells than with that from Me2SO-induced cells, with each of the two IAP-treated vesicle types. These results suggest that the different high-affinity binding of fMLF observed in the two differentiated HL-60 cells are due to a difference in the property of endogenous G proteins rather than fMLF receptors, though the two G proteins are indistinguishable from each other in terms of the subtype of G protein, Gi-2.

Bucladesine↗

On the mechanism of basal and agonist-induced activation of the G protein-gated muscarinic K+ channel in atrial myocytes of guinea pig heart.

Using the patch clamp technique, we examined the agonist-free, basal interaction between the muscarinic acetylcholine (m-ACh) receptor and the G protein (GK)-gated muscarinic K+ channel (IK.ACh), and the modification of this interaction by ACh binding to the receptor in single atrial myocytes of guinea pig heart. In the whole cell clamp mode, guanosine-5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (GTP-gamma S) gradually increased the IK.ACh current in the absence of agonists (e.g., acetylcholine). This increase was inhibited in cells that were pretreated with islet-activating protein (IAP, pertussis toxin) or N-ethylmaleimide (NEM). In inside-out patches, even in the absence of agonists, intracellular GTP caused openings of IK.ACh in a concentration-dependent manner in approximately 80% of the patches. Channel activation by GTP in the absence of agonist was much less than that caused by GTP-gamma S. The agonist-independent, GTP-induced activation of IK.ACh was inhibited by the A promoter of IAP (with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) or NEM. As the ACh concentration was increased, the GTP-induced maximal open probability of IK.ACh was increased and the GTP concentration for the half-maximal activation of IK.ACh was decreased. Intracellular GDP inhibited the GTP-induced openings of IK.ACh in a concentration-dependent fashion. The half-inhibition of IK.ACh openings occurred at a much lower concentration of GDP in the absence of agonists than in the presence of ACh. From these results, we concluded (a) that the interaction between the m-ACh receptor and GK is essential for basal stimulation of IK.ACh, and (b) that ACh binding to the receptor accelerates the turnover of GK and increases GK's affinity to GTP analogues over GDP.

Adrenergic Agonists↗

Direct interactions of mastoparan and compound 48/80 with GTP-binding proteins.

The effects of mastoparan and compound 48/80 on the activities of alpha beta gamma-trimeric GTP-binding proteins (G proteins) were studied with purified Go and Gi-1 which had been reconstituted into phospholipid vesicles. Pertussis toxin-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation of Go or Gi-1 was inhibited by mastoparan or compound 48/80, suggesting that the G proteins were dissociated into their constituent alpha- and beta gamma-subunits in the presence of these compounds. The steady-state rate of GTP hydrolysis catalyzed by Go or Gi-1 was stimulated by the two compounds. Both the stimulations were due to increases in the rate of the GDP-GTP exchange reaction occurring on the G proteins. However, the modes stimulation of the GTPase activity depended on the type of G protein used, and the stimulations caused by the two compounds were differently affected by pertussis toxin-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation of G proteins. Moreover, the mastoparan-induced stimulation of the GTPase activity was partially inhibited by compound 48/80. Thus, the two histamine secretagogues mastoparan and compound 48/80 appear to activate G proteins differently, though they interact with the signal-transducing proteins, at least partly, at a common binding site.

Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose↗