G Proteins and Signal Transduction

Guanine-nucleotide-binding proteins (G-proteins) are a ubiquitous family of proteins involved in the transmission of hormone, neurotransmitter and growth factor encoded information across the plasma membrane (and potentially other membrane-limited compartments) of cells. The remarkable conservation of sequence of the individual G-proteins throughout evolution, from insects and slime moulds to mammals, has indicated the potential for the use of the sophisticated genetics available on such systems to define the specific roles of each G-protein.