The disaggregation theory of signal transduction revisited: further evidence that G proteins are multimeric and disaggregate to monomers when activated.

We have compared the sedimentation rates on sucrose gradients of the heterotrimeric GTP-binding regulatory (G) proteins Gs, G(o), Gi, and Gq extracted from rat brain synaptoneurosomes with Lubrol and digitonin. The individual alpha and beta subunits were monitored with specific antisera. In all cases, both subunits cosedimented, indicating that the subunits are likely complexed as heterotrimers. When extracted with Lubrol all of the G proteins sedimented with rates of about 4.5 S (consistent with heterotrimers) whereas digitonin extracted 60% of the G proteins with peaks at 11 S; 40% pelleted as larger structures. Digitonin-extracted Gi was cross-linked by p-phenylenedimaleimide, yielding structures too large to enter polyacrylamide gels. No cross-linking of Lubrol-extracted Gi occurred. Treatment of the membranes with guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate and Mg2+ yielded digitonin-extracted structures with peak sedimentation values of 8.5 S--i.e., comparable to that of purified G(o) in digitonin and considerably larger than the Lubrol-extracted 2S structures representing the separated alpha and beta gamma subunits formed by the actions of guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate. It is concluded that the multimeric structures of G proteins in brain membranes are at least partially preserved in digitonin and that activation of these structures in membranes yields monomers of G proteins rather than the disaggregated products (alpha and beta gamma complexes) observed in Lubrol. It is proposed that hormones and GTP affect the dynamic interplay between multimeric G proteins and receptors in a fashion analogous to the actions of ATP on the dynamic interactions between myosin and actin filaments. Signal transduction is mediated by activated monomers released from the multimers during the activation process.