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Updated: Aug 14, 2026

G Protein-selective GPCR Conformations Measured Using FRET Sensors in a Live Cell Suspension Fluorometer Assay
Published on: September 10, 2016
Identification of a region in G protein gamma subunits conserved across species but hypervariable among subunit
L A Cook1, K L Schey, J H Cleator
1Department of Cell and Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, USA.
Abstract:
The heterotrimeric GTP binding proteins, G proteins, consist of three distinct subunits: alpha, beta, and gamma. There are 12 known mammalian gamma subunit genes whose products are the smallest and most variable of the G protein subunits. Sequencing of the bovine brain gamma(10) protein by electrospray mass spectrometry revealed that it differs from the human protein by an Ala to Val substitution near the N-terminus. Comparison of gamma isoform subunit sequences indicated that they vary substantially more at the N-terminus than at other parts of the protein. Thus, species variation of this region might reflect the lack of conservation of a functionally unimportant part of the protein. Analysis of 38 gamma subunit sequences from four different species shows that the N-terminus of a given gamma subunit isoform is as conserved between different species as any other part of the protein, including highly conserved regions. These data suggest that the N-terminus of gamma is a functionally important part of the protein exhibiting substantial isoform-specific variation.
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