Biomaterial Database

Molecular mechanisms of G protein-coupled receptor desensitization and resensitization. 1998

S S Ferguson, and J Zhang, and L S Barak, and M G Caron

John P. Robarts Research Institute and Department of Physiology, University of Western Ontario, London.

Beta-arrestin proteins play a dual role in regulating G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) responsiveness by contributing to both receptor desensitization and internalization. Recently, beta-arrestins were also shown to be critical determinants for beta2-adrenergic receptor (beta2AR) resensitization. This was demonstrated by overexpressing wild-type beta-arrestins to rescue the resensitization-defect of a beta2AR (Y326A) mutant (gain of function) and overexpressing a dominant-negative beta-arrestin inhibitor of beta2AR sequestration to impair beta2AR dephosphorylation and resensitization (loss of function). Moreover, the ability of the beta2AR to resensitize in different cell types was shown to be dependent upon beta-arrestin expression levels. To further study the mechanisms underlying beta-arrestin function, green fluorescent protein was coupled to beta-arrestin2 (beta arr2GFP), thus allowing the real-time visualization of the agonist-dependent trafficking of beta-arrestin in living cells. Beta arr2GFP translocation from the cytoplasm to the plasma membrane proceeded with a time course, sensitivity and specificity that was indistinguishable from the most sensitive second messenger readout systems. Beta arr2GFP translocation was GRK-dependent and was demonstrated for 16 different ligand-activated GPCRs. Because beta-arrestin binding is a common divergent step in GPCR signalling, this assay represents a universal methodology for screening orphan receptors, GRK inhibitors and novel GPCR ligands. Moreover, beta arr2GFP provides a valuable new tool to dissect the biological function and regulation of beta-arrestin proteins.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011956	Receptors, Cell Surface	Cell surface proteins that bind signalling molecules external to the cell with high affinity and convert this extracellular event into one or more intracellular signals that alter the behavior of the target cell (From Alberts, Molecular Biology of the Cell, 2nd ed, pp693-5). Cell surface receptors, unlike enzymes, do not chemically alter their ligands.	Cell Surface Receptor,Cell Surface Receptors,Hormone Receptors, Cell Surface,Receptors, Endogenous Substances,Cell Surface Hormone Receptors,Endogenous Substances Receptors,Receptor, Cell Surface,Surface Receptor, Cell
D004705	Endocytosis	Cellular uptake of extracellular materials within membrane-limited vacuoles or microvesicles. ENDOSOMES play a central role in endocytosis.	Endocytoses
D000071557	beta-Arrestins	Non-visual system arrestins that negatively regulate G-PROTEIN-COUPLED RECEPTORS (GPCRs) and may also function independently of GPCR signaling. They bind and recruit many different signaling factors, including MITOGEN-ACTIVATED PROTEIN KINASES; SRC-FAMILY-KINASES; and FILAMIN to GPCRs and may recognize different phosphorylation states of the receptors to determine the specificity of the cellular response to signaling.	beta-Arrestin,beta Arrestin,beta Arrestins
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012680	Sensitivity and Specificity	Binary classification measures to assess test results. Sensitivity or recall rate is the proportion of true positives. Specificity is the probability of correctly determining the absence of a condition. (From Last, Dictionary of Epidemiology, 2d ed)	Specificity,Sensitivity,Specificity and Sensitivity
D019204	GTP-Binding Proteins	Regulatory proteins that act as molecular switches. They control a wide range of biological processes including: receptor signaling, intracellular signal transduction pathways, and protein synthesis. Their activity is regulated by factors that control their ability to bind to and hydrolyze GTP to GDP. EC 3.6.1.-.	G-Proteins,GTP-Regulatory Proteins,Guanine Nucleotide Regulatory Proteins,G-Protein,GTP-Binding Protein,GTP-Regulatory Protein,Guanine Nucleotide Coupling Protein,G Protein,G Proteins,GTP Binding Protein,GTP Binding Proteins,GTP Regulatory Protein,GTP Regulatory Proteins,Protein, GTP-Binding,Protein, GTP-Regulatory,Proteins, GTP-Binding,Proteins, GTP-Regulatory
D019390	Arrestins	Regulatory proteins that down-regulate phosphorylated G-protein membrane receptors, including rod and cone photoreceptors and adrenergic receptors.