Genetic analysis of mammalian G-protein signalling

Abstract

Heterotrimeric G-proteins are important signalling proteins which function in all cells of the mammalian organism. Inactivating mutations in a variety of G-protein α-subunit genes in mice resulted in mostly unexpected phenotypes and have provided interesting new insight into their biological roles. Whereas the inactivation of some Gα genes led to mild phenotypes suggesting the presence of redundant or compensatory mechanisms, other G-proteins appear to play highly specific biological or developmental roles. The purpose of this review is to summarize the current knowledge about G-protein functions based on gene-inactivation studies.