R. Gaudet et al., A molecular mechanism for the phosphorylation-dependent regulation of heterotrimeric G proteins by phosducin, MOL CELL, 3(5), 1999, pp. 649-660
Visual signal transduction is a nearly noise-free process that is exquisite
ly well regulated over a wide dynamic range of light intensity. A key compo
nent in dark/light adaptation is phosducin, a phosphorylatable protein that
modulates the amount of transducin heterotrimer (G(t)alpha beta gamma) ava
ilable through sequestration of the py subunits (G(t)beta gamma). The struc
ture of the phosphophosducin/G(t)beta gamma complex combined with mutationa
l and biophysical analysis provides a stereochemical mechanism for the regu
lation of the phosducin-G(t)beta gamma interaction. Phosphorylation of seri
ne 73 causes an order-to-disorder transition of a 20-residue stretch, inclu
ding the phosphorylation site, by disrupting a helix-capping motif. This tr
ansition disrupts phosducin's interface with G(t)beta gamma, leading to the
release of unencumbered G(t)beta gamma, which reassociates with the membra
ne and G(t)beta gamma to form a signaling-competent G(t)alpha beta gamma he
terotrimer.