Glucagon and adenylate cyclase: binding studies and requirements for activation

Solubilization of myocardial adenylate cyclase abolished responsiveness to glucagon and catecholamines, two of the hormones which activate the membrane-bound enzyme. Adenylate cyclase freed of detergent by DEAE-cellulose chromatography continues to remain unresponsive to hormone stimulation. However, adding purified bovine brain phospholipids--phosphotidylserine and monophosphatidylinositol--restored responsiveness to glucagon and catecholamines, respectively. 125-i-glucagon binding appeared to be independent of phospholipid, since equal binding was observed in the presence or absence of detergent and in the presence or absence of phospholipids. Chromatography of the solubilized preparation on Sephadex G-100 WAS CHARACTERIZED BY 125-I-glucagon binding and fluoride-stimulatable adenylate cyclase activity appearing in the fractions consistent with the void volume, suggesting a molecular weight greater than 100,000 for the receptor-adenylate cyclase complex. Prior incubation of the binding peak with 125-I-glucagon and rechromatography of the bound glucagon on Sephadex G-100 shifted its elution to a later fraction consistent with a smaller-molecular-weight peak. The molecular weight of this material was 24,000 to 28,000, as determined by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The latter findings are consistent with a dissociable receptor site for glucagon on myocardial adenylate cyclase.