Recognition of the Activated States of Gα13 by the rgRGS Domain of PDZRhoGEF

Summary G12 class heterotrimeric G proteins stimulate RhoA activation by RGS-RhoGEFs. However, p115RhoGEF is a GTPase Activating Protein (GAP) toward Gα13, whereas PDZRhoGEF is not. We have characterized the interaction between the PDZRhoGEF rgRGS domain (PRG-rgRGS) and the alpha subunit of G13 and have determined crystal structures of their complexes in both the inactive state bound to GDP and the active states bound to GDP•AlF (transition state) and GTPγS (Michaelis complex). PRG-rgRGS interacts extensively with the helical domain and the effector-binding sites on Gα13 through contacts that are largely conserved in all three nucleotide-bound states, although PRG-rgRGS has highest affinity to the Michaelis complex. An acidic motif in the N terminus of PRG-rgRGS occupies the GAP binding site of Gα13 and is flexible in the GDP•AlF complex but well ordered in the GTPγS complex. Replacement of key residues in this motif with their counterparts in p115RhoGEF confers GAP activity.