Role of Chaperones in G Protein Coupled Receptor Signaling Complex Assembly - GPCR Signalling Complexes: Synthesis, Assembly, Trafficking and Specificity - page 22

Chapter 2
Role of Chaperones in G Protein Coupled
Receptor Signaling Complex Assembly

Denis J. Dupré , Maha M. Hammad , Patrick Holland , and Jaime Wertman

Contents
2.1 Introduction..................................................................................................................... 24
2.2 GPCR Dimerization........................................................................................................ 24
2.3 Receptor Maturation ....................................................................................................... 27
2.4 Molecular Chaperones .................................................................................................... 28
2.5 Molecular Chaperones and GPCRs ................................................................................ 31

2.6 Signaling Complex Assembly ........................................................................................ 32

2.7 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 36

References ................................................................................................................................ 37

Abstract G protein coupled receptors are involved in highly efficient and specific
activation of signaling pathways. Yet, we do not fully understand the processes
required to assemble the different partners of the GPCR signaling complex. In order
to address this issue, we need to understand how receptors and their signaling
partners are synthesized, folded and regulated during quality control steps in order
to generate functional proteins. Several molecular chaperones are involved in this
process for most proteins, including GPCRs. Several membrane proteins require the
assembly of different subunits to be functional. In recent years, GPCRs have been
shown to form oligomers, which could be interpreted as subunits of a larger com-
plex. Yet, those oligomers would not be functional without the association of other
signaling partners; thus, there is a requirement for the specific assembly of the
different partners. In this chapter, we will cover some aspects of the current knowl-
edge about how chaperones are involved in both the formation of GPCR oligomers
and in the assembly of the receptors with their signaling complex components.