Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Sci. Signal., 5 May 2009
Vol. 2, Issue 69, p. ec154
[DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.269ec154]

EDITORS' CHOICE

G Proteins Toxic Modification

John F. Foley

Science Signaling, AAAS, Washington, DC 20005, USA

Modification of the {alpha}-subunits of heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide–binding proteins (G proteins) by bacterial toxins is a well-known phenomenon; ADP-ribosylation of G{alpha}s subunits by cholera toxin renders them constitutively active, whereas a similar modification of many G{alpha}i proteins by pertussis toxin blocks their interactions with G protein–coupled receptors. Pastuerella multocida toxin (PMT) causes the activation of G proteins containing G{alpha}q, G{alpha}i, and G{alpha}13 subunits. Although the mechanism involved is unknown, a C-terminal domain of PMT is required for its activity. Orth et al. showed that the guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) activity of recombinant G{alpha}i2 was inhibited by incubation with the C-terminal domain of wild-type PMT (PMT-Cwt) but not with that of a mutant PMT that is inactive (PMT-CC1165S). Mass spectrometric analysis showed that G{alpha}i2 that was coexpressed in Escherichia coli with PMT-Cwt, but not PMT-CC1165S, underwent deamidation of a glutamine residue (Gln205), a conserved residue that is critical for the intrinsic GTPase activity of G protein {alpha}-subunits. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis showed that endogenous G{alpha}i2 in mouse embryonic fibroblast membranes was deamidated by PMT. In HEK293 cells, a mutant G{alpha}i2 protein in which Gln205 was replaced by glutamate, thus mimicking the deamidation reaction, was constitutively active, as assessed by measurement of the abundance of adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP). Further studies showed that G{alpha}q was also deamidated by PMT; however, the closely related G{alpha}11 subunit, which is not a target of PMT, did not undergo deamidation. Although the mechanism by which PMT deamidates its specific targets is still unclear, this modification is consistent with the potent mitogenic activity of PMT, because constitutively active G protein {alpha}-subunits trigger cellular transformation.

J. H. C. Orth, I. Preuss, I. Fester, A. Schlosser, B. A. Wilson, K. Aktories, Pasteurella multocida toxin activation of heterotrimeric G proteins by deamidation. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 106, 7179–7184 (2009). [Abstract] [Full Text]

Citation: J. F. Foley, Toxic Modification. Sci. Signal. 2, ec154 (2009).

To Advertise     Find Products

Science Signaling. ISSN 1937-9145 (online), 1945-0877 (print). Pre-2008: Science's STKE. ISSN 1525-8882