Signal transduction in Coprinus congregatus: evidence for the involvement of G proteins in blue light photomorphogenesis.

This paper reports the presence of several G proteins and light-sensitive GTP-binding proteins in the fungus Coprinus congregatus, a filamentous eukaryote. (Mono)ADP-ribosylation experiments with crude membranes in the presence of the (poly)ADP-ribosyltransferase inhibitor, 3-amino-benzamide, resulted in the detection of a cholera toxin substrate of 52 kDa and two pertussis toxin substrates, 33 and 39 kDa. Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel analysis of GTP-binding proteins exposed in vivo to [35S]-labeled guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]-triphosphate in the presence or absence of light demonstrated light enhanced analog binding. These results support the concept of the involvement of G proteins in phototransduction in C. congregatus.