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An eye-specific Gβ subunit essential for termination of the phototransduction cascade

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Abstract

HETEROTRIMERIC G proteins couple various receptors to intracellu-lar effector molecules. Although the role of the Gα subunit in effector activation, guanine nucleotide exchange and GTP hydro-lysis has been well studied1–4, the cellular functions of the Gα subunits are less well understood5,6. Gβγ dimers bind Gα subunits and anchor them to the membrane for presentation to the receptor7–9. In specific systems, the Gβ subunits have also been implicated in direct coupling to ion channels and to effector molecules10–19. We have isolated Drosophila melanogaster mutants defective in an eye-specific G-protein β-subunit (Gβe), and show here that the β-subunit is essential for G-protein-receptor coupling in vivo. Remarkably, Gβ mutants are also severely defective in the deactivation of the light response, demonstrating an essential role for the Gβ subunit in terminating the active state of this signalling cascade.

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Author notes

  1. Stuart Yarfitzt, Jennifer Running Deer, Maribeth Spencer and James B. Hurley: Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Howard Hughes Medical Institute and *Department of Biology and Neurosciences, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California, 92093-0649, USA

    Patrick J. Dolph, Helen Man-Son-Hing, Nansi J. Colley & Charles S. Zuker

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  1. Patrick J. Dolph
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  2. Helen Man-Son-Hing
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  3. Stuart Yarfitzt
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  4. Nansi J. Colley
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  5. Jennifer Running Deer
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  6. Maribeth Spencer
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  7. James B. Hurley
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Dolph, P., Man-Son-Hing, H., Yarfitzt, S. et al. An eye-specific Gβ subunit essential for termination of the phototransduction cascade. Nature 370, 59–61 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1038/370059a0

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