Genetics, Vol. 158, 221-235, May 2001, Copyright © 2001

The G-Protein ß-Subunit GPB-2 in Caenorhabditis elegans Regulates the Go{alpha}–Gq{alpha} Signaling Network Through Interactions With the Regulator of G-Protein Signaling Proteins EGL-10 and EAT-16

Alexander M. van der Lindena, Femke Simmera, Edwin Cuppena, and Ronald H. A. Plasterka
a Hubrecht Laboratory, Centre for Biomedical Genetics, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands

Corresponding author: Ronald H. A. Plasterk, Hubrecht Laboratory, Centre for Biomedical Genetics, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands., plasterk{at}niob.knaw.nl (E-mail)

Communicating editor: P. ANDERSON

The genome of Caenorhabditis elegans harbors two genes for G-protein ß-subunits. Here, we describe the characterization of the second G-protein ß-subunit gene gpb-2. In contrast to gpb-1, gpb-2 is not an essential gene even though, like gpb-1, gpb-2 is expressed during development, in the nervous system, and in muscle cells. A loss-of-function mutation in gpb-2 produces a variety of behavioral defects, including delayed egg laying and reduced pharyngeal pumping. Genetic analysis shows that GPB-2 interacts with the GOA-1 (homologue of mammalian Go{alpha}) and EGL-30 (homologue of mammalian Gq{alpha}) signaling pathways. GPB-2 is most similar to the divergent mammalian Gß5 subunit, which has been shown to mediate a specific interaction with a G{gamma}-subunit-like (GGL) domain of RGS proteins. We show here that GPB-2 physically and genetically interacts with the GGL-containing RGS proteins EGL-10 and EAT-16. Taken together, our results suggest that GPB-2 works in concert with the RGS proteins EGL-10 and EAT-16 to regulate GOA-1 (Go{alpha}) and EGL-30 (Gq{alpha}) signaling.




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