Title: | Inhibition of G-protein-mediated MAP kinase activation by a new mammalian gene family |
Author(s): | Druey KM; Blumer KJ; Kang VH; Kehrl JH; |
Address: | "Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1876, USA" |
ISSN/ISBN: | 0028-0836 (Print) 0028-0836 (Linking) |
Abstract: | "A general property of signal transduction pathways is that prolonged stimulation decreases responsiveness, a phenomenon termed desensitization. Yeast cells stimulated with mating pheromone activate a heterotrimeric G-protein-linked, MAP-kinase-dependent signalling pathway that induces G1-phase cell-cycle arrest and morphological differentiation (reviewed in refs 1, 2). Eventually the cells desensitize to pheromone and resume growth. Genetic studies have demonstrated the relative importance of a desensitization mechanism that uses the SST2 gene product, Sst2p. Here we identify a mammalian gene family termed RGS (for regulator of G-protein signalling) that encodes structural and functional homologues of Sst2p. Introduction of RGS family members into yeast blunts signal transduction through the pheromone-response pathway. Like SST2 (refs 8-10), they negatively regulate this pathway at a point upstream or at the level of the G protein. The RGS family members also markedly impair MAP kinase activation by mammalian G-protein-linked receptors, indicating the existence and importance of an SST2-like desensitization mechanism in mammalian cells" |
Keywords: | "Amino Acid Sequence Animals Antigens, CD/metabolism Base Sequence Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases/*antagonists & inhibitors/metabolism Cell Line DNA Probes Enzyme Activation Fungal Proteins/genetics GTP-Binding Proteins/antagonists & inhibito;" |
Notes: | "MedlineDruey, K M Blumer, K J Kang, V H Kehrl, J H eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. England 1996/02/22 Nature. 1996 Feb 22; 379(6567):742-6. doi: 10.1038/379742a0" |