Ric-8 proteins are molecular chaperones that direct nascent G protein ? subunit membrane association.
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ABSTRACT: Ric-8A (resistance to inhibitors of cholinesterase 8A) and Ric-8B are guanine nucleotide exchange factors that enhance different heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding protein (G protein) signaling pathways by unknown mechanisms. Because transgenic disruption of Ric-8A or Ric-8B in mice caused early embryonic lethality, we derived viable Ric-8A- or Ric-8B-deleted embryonic stem (ES) cell lines from blastocysts of these mice. We observed pleiotropic G protein signaling defects in Ric-8A(-/-) ES cells, which resulted from reduced steady-state amounts of G?(i), G?(q), and G?(13) proteins to <5% of those of wild-type cells. The amounts of G?(s) and total G? protein were partially reduced in Ric-8A(-/-) cells compared to those in wild-type cells, and only the amount of G?(s) was reduced substantially in Ric-8B(-/-) cells. The abundances of mRNAs encoding the G protein ? subunits were largely unchanged by loss of Ric-8A or Ric-8B. The plasma membrane residence of G proteins persisted in the absence of Ric-8 but was markedly reduced compared to that in wild-type cells. Endogenous G?(i) and G?(q) were efficiently translated in Ric-8A(-/-) cells but integrated into endomembranes poorly; however, the reduced amounts of G protein ? subunits that reached the membrane still bound to nascent G??. Finally, G?(i), G?(q), and G?(1) proteins exhibited accelerated rates of degradation in Ric-8A(-/-) cells compared to those in wild-type cells. Together, these data suggest that Ric-8 proteins are molecular chaperones required for the initial association of nascent G? subunits with cellular membranes.
SUBMITTER: Gabay M
PROVIDER: S-EPMC3870195 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Nov
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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