Regulation of light-dependent Gqalpha translocation and morphological changes in fly photoreceptors.

ABSTRACT: Heterotrimeric G-proteins relay signals between membrane-bound receptors and downstream effectors. Little is known, however, about the regulation of Galpha subunit localization within the natural endogenous environment of a specialized signaling cell. Here we show, using live Drosophila flies, that light causes massive and reversible translocation of the visual Gqalpha to the cytosol, associated with marked architectural changes in the signaling compartment. Molecular genetic dissection together with detailed kinetic analysis enabled us to characterize the translocation cycle and to unravel how signaling molecules that interact with Gqalpha affect these processes. Epistatic analysis showed that Gqalpha is necessary but not sufficient to bring about the morphological changes in the signalin

SUBMITTER: Kosloff M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC140738 | biostudies-literature | 2003 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature