Evidence for a membrane-associated GTP-binding protein in Stigmatella aurantiaca, a prokaryotic cell

Signal transducing G proteins are present in all eukaryotic cells, but they have not been found in prokaryotes so far. Myxobacteria, especially Stigmatella aurantiaca, are prokaryotic organisms able to exchange signals. Moreover, they exhibit an active phosphoinositide metabolism, whose intensity is dependent on the physiological state of the cell. Therefore G proteins potentially involved in the activation of phospholipid metabolism or any other event stimulated by external signals were looked for in S. aurantiaca membranes. Using a photoaffinity technique based on cross-linking of radioactive GTP to membrane-associated proteins under UV irradiation, only one major band in the range of 54 kDa was detected. This GTP-binding protein present specifically in membrane preparations binds also GDP, whereas it does not react with other nucleotides, such as ATP, UTP and CTP. The membrane-bound G protein of S. aurantiaca needs further characterization but could be homologous to G alpha subunits found in cytoplasmic membranes of eukaryotes.