Association of two pertussis toxin-sensitive G-proteins with the D2-dopamine receptor from bovine striatum.

The solubilized D2-dopamine receptor from bovine striatum exhibits high and low affinity states for dopaminergic agonists. Guanine nucleotides and pertussis toxin convert the solubilized receptor from a high affinity state to a low one. A D2-receptor preparation partially purified by affinity chromatography on a haloperidol adsorbent, exhibited agonist-stimulated GTPase activity. [32P]ADP-ribosylation by pertussis toxin of this receptor preparation resulted in the specific labeling of two protein bands corresponding to mol. wts of 39 and 41 kd, in SDS-PAGE. Association of these G-proteins with the receptor was specifically inhibited by Gpp(NH)p. Immunoblot analysis of these G-proteins indicated that the 41- and 39-kd protein bands are analogous to brain Gi and Go respectively. These experiments demonstrate that two distinct pertussis toxin-sensitive G-proteins are functionally associated with bovine striatum D2-dopamine receptor.