Single-molecule and ensemble imaging of GPCR-G protein complexes in live cells

描述（由申请人提供）：G蛋白偶联受体（GPCR）是细胞表面受体的最大家族，并且是所有处方和滥用药物的主要靶点。GPCR主要通过激活细胞内异源三聚体GTP结合蛋白（G蛋白）来改变细胞生理学。G蛋白活化的步骤包括配体结合、受体活化以及最终在配体、活性受体和失活G蛋白之间形成“偶联”复合物（LR*GGDP），直接导致G蛋白活化。长期以来，人们一直假设在“预偶联”或“预组装”RGGDP复合物中，非活性GPCR和G蛋白在受体活化之前彼此缔合。然而，这些复合物在细胞中的存在和相关性一直难以记录，主要是因为研究膜蛋白之间的瞬时相互作用的方法还没有。我们最近成功地检测到预组装的复合物之间的GPCR和Gq异源三聚体在活细胞中，并证明其生理意义。然而，这些研究留下了一些重要的问题没有回答，部分原因是它们完全依赖于集合测量。一个关键问题是非活性状态的预组装受体-G蛋白（RGGDP）复合物的寿命。包封实验表明，预组装的RGGDP复合物的寿命是长的活性状态，耦合复合物相比，但这些寿命都不能使用现有的方法来确定。长寿命的预组装RGGDP复合物将允许受体“自我支架化”G蛋白，即维持高局部浓度的异源三聚体准备激活。在这里，我们建议研究RGGDP复合物在活细胞中使用定量合奏和单分子成像。包绕成像将使我们能够确定预组装是否作为几种不同GPCR和G蛋白异源三聚体的自支架机制。单分子成像将使我们能够直接观察非活性状态的预组装RGGDP复合物的形成和解离。因此，我们将能够定量评估的大分子复合物的G蛋白信号的重要寿命。这些实验对直接领域的影响将是确定预组装是否是G蛋白活化途径中的重要沿着步骤，或者它是否是一种罕见的副反应。对于一般的大分子相互作用，该项目的影响将包括完善系综和单分子成像技术，以检测活细胞中的膜蛋白相互作用，包括表达系统，染料，标记，固定，成像和分析策略。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest family of cell surface receptors, and are the targets of a substantial fraction of all prescribed ad abused drugs. GPCRs change cellular physiology primarily by activating intracellular heterotrimeric GTP-binding proteins (G proteins). The steps involved in G protein activation include ligand binding, receptor activation, and ultimately the formation of a "coupled" complex between a ligand, an active receptor and an inactive G protein (LR*GGDP), leading directly to G protein activation. It has long been hypothesized that inactive GPCRs and G proteins associate with each other prior to receptor activation in "precoupled" or "preassembled" RGGDP complexes. However, the existence and relevance of these complexes in cells have been difficult to document, largely because methods to study transient interactions between membrane proteins have not been available. We recently succeeded in detecting preassembled complexes between GPCRs and Gq heterotrimers in living cells, and in demonstrating their physiological significance. However, these studies left a number of important questions unanswered, in part because they relied exclusively on ensemble measurements. One critical question is the lifetime of inactive-state preassembled receptor-G protein (RGGDP) complexes. Ensemble experiments suggest that the lifetime of a preassembled RGGDP complex is long compared to the active-state, coupled complex, but neither of these lifetimes can be determined using existing methods. Long-lived preassembled RGGDP complexes would allow receptors to "self-scaffold" G proteins, i.e. maintain a high local concentration of heterotrimers ready for activation. Here we propose to study RGGDP complexes using quantitative ensemble and single-molecule imaging in living cells. Ensemble imaging will allow us to determine if preassembly serves as a self-scaffolding mechanism for several different GPCRs and G protein heterotrimers. Single-molecule imaging will allow us to directly observe the formation and dissociation of inactive-state preassembled RGGDP complexes. We will thus be able to quantitatively assess the lifetimes of the macromolecular complexes important for G protein signaling. The impact of these experiments on the immediate field will be to determine if preassembly is a significant step along the pathway to G protein activation, or alternatively if itis a rare side-reaction. With respect to macromolecular interactions in general, the impact of this project will include refinement of ensemble and single-molecule imaging technology to detect membrane protein interactions in living cells, including expression systems, dyes, labeling, immobilization, imaging and analysis strategies.