Dictyostelium Ric8 is a nonreceptor guanine exchange factor for heterotrimeric G proteins and is important for development and chemotaxis.

ABSTRACT: Heterotrimeric G proteins couple external signals to the activation of intracellular signal transduction pathways. Agonist-stimulated guanine nucleotide exchange activity of G-protein-coupled receptors results in the exchange of G-protein-bound GDP to GTP and the dissociation and activation of the complex into Gα-GTP and a Gβγ dimer. In Dictyostelium, a basal chemotaxis pathway consisting of heterotrimeric and monomeric G proteins is sufficient for chemotaxis. Symmetry breaking and amplification of chemoattractant sensing occurs between heterotrimeric G protein signaling and Ras activation. In a pull-down screen coupled to mass spectrometry, with Gα proteins as bait, we have identified resistant to inhibitors of cholinesterase 8 (Ric8) as a nonreceptor guanine nucleotide exchange factor fo

SUBMITTER: Kataria R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3631646 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature