Functional changes in the properties of the β-adrenoreceptors of pigeon erythrocytes under the action of the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase

The β-adrenoreceptors were solubilized from the plasma membranes of pigeon erythrocytes, treated with N-ethylmaleimide, using deoxycholate. The removal of the deoxycholate leads to incorporation of receptors into phospholipid vesicles and a restoration of their biological activity. After fusion of vesicles containing reconstituted receptors with vesicles containing the N/sub s/-protein and the catalytic component, a restoration of the hormonal activity of the enzyme was observed. If vesicles containing β-adrenoreceptors were incubated before fusion with the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase, the hormonal activity of the preparation obtained was lowered by 45-50%. The decrease in activity occurred on account of an increase in the lag phase of activation of the enzyme in the presence of isoproterenol and GPP(NH)p, as well as on account of a decrease in the activity in the stationary phase of activation. Phosphorylation of the β-adrenoreceptors leads to a decrease in the content of the ternary isoproterenol-receptor-N/sub s/-protein complex, participating in the activation of adenylate cyclase. Thus, phosphorylation of the receptors leads to disruptions of the mechanism of transmission of the hormonal signal, analogous to those observed in the desensitization of adenylate cyclase