STRUCTURAL BASIS FOR THE FUNCTION OF THE HETEROTRIMERIC G-PROTEINS

X-ray structures for many heterotrimeric G-protein complexes have been solved over the past 5 years. The structures of the G-protein subunit s with their bound ligands, in conjugate with each other, and in compl ex with their regulators and an effector, along with the targe quantit y of biochemical information, have greatly improved our understanding of how these proteins function in the transduction of signals. In this article, we discuss the characteristics and functions of the heterotr imeric G-proteins in a structural context. (C) 1998 Academic Press.