gpr-2

UniProt ID: Q03569
Organism: Caenorhabditis elegans
Review Status: DRAFT
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Gene Description

GPR-2 (G protein regulator 2) is a TPR-GoLoco protein of the AGS3/LGN/Pins family that acts, together with its near-identical paralog GPR-1, in the early C. elegans embryo. Its single C-terminal GoLoco motif binds GDP-bound G-alpha(i/o) subunits GOA-1 and GPA-16 and acts as a guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitor. At the cell cortex GPR-1/2 forms a ternary complex with G-alpha and the NuMA-related coiled-coil protein LIN-5 that anchors dynein and generates pulling forces on astral microtubules. PAR polarity cues (via LET-99, CSNK-1 and PIP2 synthesis by PPK-1) make GPR-1/2 cortical levels asymmetric, so that greater posterior pulling force drives nuclear centration and rotation, anaphase spindle elongation and posterior spindle displacement, producing the unequal first division. GPR-1/2 also localizes to the spindle and asters. Because the two paralogs are nearly identical, their individual contributions have not been separated experimentally.

Existing Annotations Review

GO Term Evidence Action Reason
GO:0000022 mitotic spindle elongation
NAS
PMID:12730122
A complex of LIN-5 and GPR proteins regulates G protein sign...
KEEP AS NON CORE
Summary: GPR-1/2 is required for the asymmetric elongation of the anaphase spindle in P-lineage divisions; cortical pulling forces generated by the Galpha-GPR-1/2-LIN-5 complex contribute to spindle elongation.
Reason: ComplexPortal NAS for the gpr-1-gpr-2-lin-5 complex, supported by Tsou et al. 2003 and Krueger et al. 2010; GPR-1/2 is part of the force generator that pulls on spindle poles, so it does part of the work. Spindle elongation is one readout of the broader spindle-positioning role, which is the core process. Same action as for gpr-1.
Supporting Evidence:
PMID:14534135
function together with Galpha (GOA-1 and GPA-16) to generate asymmetric spindle pole elongation during divisions in the P lineage
PMID:20421425
resulting in a higher net force toward the posterior that contributes to spindle elongation and displacement
GO:0005092 GDP-dissociation inhibitor activity
IDA
PMID:16162648
Cortical localization of the Galpha protein GPA-16 requires ...
ACCEPT
Summary: Nucleotide exchange assays show that GPR-1/2 is a GDI for GPA-16 as well as GOA-1.
Reason: Direct biochemical evidence on the shared GPR-1/2 GoLoco region; the GoLoco GDI activity is the core molecular function of GPR-2 and its paralog.
Supporting Evidence:
PMID:16162648
GPR-1/2 acts as a guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitor (GDI) for GPA-16, as it does for GOA-1
PMID:12814548
the GPR domain of GPR-1 and GPR-2 behaves as a GDP dissociation inhibitor for GOA-1
GO:0005092 GDP-dissociation inhibitor activity
IDA
PMID:18984596
A point mutation to Galphai selectively blocks GoLoco motif ...
ACCEPT
Summary: A GPR-1/2 GoLoco peptide (aa 423-461) shows GDI activity on wild-type GOA-1 that is lost on the GoLoco-insensitive GOA-1(N150I) mutant.
Reason: Full text confirms the GDI assay on GOA-1 with the GPR-1/2 GoLoco peptide, which spans the GoLoco motif of GPR-2 (residues 424-445); consistent with the other IDA row.
Supporting Evidence:
PMID:18984596
we verified that GOA-1(N150I) is indeed resistant to GoLoco motif-mediated GDI activity
IDA
PMID:14534135
LET-99 opposes Galpha/GPR signaling to generate asymmetry fo...
KEEP AS NON CORE
Summary: Immunostaining in Tsou et al. 2003 (abstract only cached) reported GPR-1/2 on asters in addition to the cortex; UniProt also records spindle localization from Srinivasan et al. 2003.
Reason: Experimental localization by curators who read the full text; plausible given LIN-5-dependent spindle/aster localization. The functionally relevant pool is cortical, so this is non-core.
GO:0005819 spindle
IEA
GO_REF:0000044
MODIFY
Summary: Electronic mapping from the UniProt subcellular location "Cytoskeleton, spindle", which rests on Srinivasan et al. 2003.
Reason: Correct but general; the observation is on the mitotic spindle of embryonic divisions, already captured by the IDA row for mitotic spindle (GO:0072686).
Proposed replacements: mitotic spindle
Supporting Evidence:
PMID:12730122
depend on LIN-5 for localization to the spindle and cell cortex
GO:0005938 cell cortex
IDA
PMID:12730122
A complex of LIN-5 and GPR proteins regulates G protein sign...
ACCEPT
Summary: GPR-1/2 localizes to the cell cortex in a LIN-5-dependent manner.
Reason: The cortex is where GPR-1/2 performs its core function as part of the force generator.
Supporting Evidence:
PMID:12730122
depend on LIN-5 for localization to the spindle and cell cortex
GO:0005938 cell cortex
IDA
PMID:14534135
LET-99 opposes Galpha/GPR signaling to generate asymmetry fo...
ACCEPT
Summary: Asymmetric cortical localization of GPR-1/2 in dividing P cells, regulated by PAR-3 and LET-99.
Reason: Independent experimental support for cortical localization, the site of the core function.
Supporting Evidence:
PMID:14534135
the cortical localization of GPR-1/2 is asymmetric in dividing P cells
GO:0005938 cell cortex
IEA
GO_REF:0000044
ACCEPT
Summary: Electronic mapping from the UniProt subcellular location "Cytoplasm, cell cortex", which is itself based on the experimental papers above.
Reason: Consistent with the IDA rows; the cell cortex is the core location.
Supporting Evidence:
PMID:12814548
The GPR protein(s) localize around the cortex of one-cell embryos and are enriched at the posterior
GO:0007097 nuclear migration
NAS
PMID:12730122
A complex of LIN-5 and GPR proteins regulates G protein sign...
KEEP AS NON CORE
Summary: GPR-1/2 is required for normal rates of pronuclear-centrosome complex centration and rotation, during which it is enriched at the anterior cortex.
Reason: Park and Rose 2008 show that GPR-1/2 depletion decreases centration and rotation rates, attributed to cortical force generation; Tsou et al. 2003 show Galpha/GPR are needed for nuclear rotation. The nucleus is moved by the same cortical pulling mechanism, so this is a genuine but secondary readout.
Supporting Evidence:
PMID:18234174
The depletion of LIN-5 or GPR-1/2 results in decreased centration and rotation rates, indicating a role in force generation at this stage
GO:0008277 regulation of G protein-coupled receptor signaling pathway
NAS
PMID:12730122
A complex of LIN-5 and GPR proteins regulates G protein sign...
MARK AS OVER ANNOTATED
Summary: GPR-1/2 regulate Galpha (GOA-1, GPA-16) in a receptor-independent pathway for spindle positioning; no seven-transmembrane receptor is involved.
Reason: The GO term describes regulation of signalling initiated by a GPCR. The G protein signalling that GPR-1/2 regulate in the embryo is explicitly receptor-independent, so the term misrepresents the pathway. The molecular regulation of Galpha is captured by GDI activity. Same action as for gpr-1.
Supporting Evidence:
PMID:12814548
Here we show that the Galpha subunits are regulated by a receptor-independent mechanism
PMID:12730122
Results in C. elegans and other species are consistent with a novel model for receptor-independent activation of Galpha(i/o) signaling
GO:0030695 GTPase regulator activity
IEA
GO_REF:0000002
MODIFY
Summary: InterPro2GO mapping from the GoLoco motif (IPR003109).
Reason: Correct but general. The GoLoco motif of GPR-1/2 has demonstrated GDI activity toward GOA-1 and GPA-16, so the specific child term GDP-dissociation inhibitor activity (GO:0005092), which the gene already carries by IDA, should replace it.
Supporting Evidence:
PMID:12814548
the GPR domain of GPR-1 and GPR-2 behaves as a GDP dissociation inhibitor for GOA-1
GO:0040001 establishment of mitotic spindle localization
NAS
PMID:12730122
A complex of LIN-5 and GPR proteins regulates G protein sign...
ACCEPT
Summary: GPR-1/2, with Galpha and LIN-5, generate the cortical pulling forces that displace the mitotic spindle posteriorly in the one-cell embryo.
Reason: Core biological process. GPR-1/2 is a component of the cortical force generator (Galpha-GPR-1/2-LIN-5 anchoring dynein), so it does part of the work of positioning the spindle; supported by many independent studies beyond the NAS source.
Supporting Evidence:
PMID:12750478
were essential for generation of proper pulling forces
PMID:17922003
the LIN-5, GPR-1/2 and the G alpha proteins promote the presence of the dynein complex at the cell cortex
PMID:25548889
a ternary complex comprised of GΞ± (GOA-1/GPA-16), GPR-1/GPR-2, and LIN-5 is essential for anchoring the motor protein dynein to the cell cortex
GO:0072686 mitotic spindle
IDA
PMID:12730122
A complex of LIN-5 and GPR proteins regulates G protein sign...
KEEP AS NON CORE
Summary: GPR-1/2 is detected on the mitotic spindle, dependent on LIN-5.
Reason: Experimental localization (ComplexPortal); the force-generating function is exerted at the cortex, so the spindle pool is peripheral.
Supporting Evidence:
PMID:12730122
depend on LIN-5 for localization to the spindle and cell cortex

Core Functions

GoLoco-motif guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitor for the G-alpha(i/o) subunits GOA-1 and GPA-16, acting redundantly with GPR-1; binds G-alpha-GDP at the cell cortex and, with LIN-5, forms the ternary G-alpha-GPR-1/2-LIN-5 complex that anchors dynein and generates asymmetric cortical pulling forces on astral microtubules to position the mitotic spindle in the early embryo.

Supporting Evidence:
  • PMID:16162648
    GPR-1/2 acts as a guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitor (GDI) for GPA-16, as it does for GOA-1
  • PMID:12814548
    the GPR domain of GPR-1 and GPR-2 behaves as a GDP dissociation inhibitor for GOA-1
  • PMID:25548889
    a ternary complex comprised of GΞ± (GOA-1/GPA-16), GPR-1/GPR-2, and LIN-5 is essential for anchoring the motor protein dynein to the cell cortex
  • PMID:18234174
    LIN-5 immunoprecipitates with GΞ± in vivo , and association is GPR-1/2 dependent

References

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Suggested Questions for Experts

Q: Does GPR-2 contribute to pulling force independently of GPR-1, or is it a minor dosage contributor, given that all RNAi and antibody reagents used to date target both near-identical paralogs?

Q: Is the force-generating species the G-alpha-GDP-GPR-1/2 complex (GDI model) or G-alpha-GTP produced by RIC-8 acting on that complex?

Q: Should the ComplexPortal-propagated NAS process terms on the gpr-1-gpr-2-lin-5 complex (CPX-4027) include regulation of GPCR signaling, given that the embryonic G-alpha pathway is receptor-independent?

Suggested Experiments

Experiment: Make gpr-2-specific CRISPR null alleles and an endogenous gpr-2 tag distinguishable from gpr-1, and measure cortical localization and spindle pulling forces (spindle severing) in gpr-2, gpr-1 and double mutants.

Hypothesis: GPR-2 and GPR-1 are functionally redundant and dose-additive for cortical pulling force.

Experiment: Introduce a GoLoco point mutation into endogenous gpr-2 in a gpr-1 null background and measure cortical LIN-5/dynein recruitment and pulling forces.

Hypothesis: Direct GoLoco-G-alpha-GDP binding by GPR-2 is required for cortical recruitment of LIN-5 and dynein.

Deep Research

Manual

(gpr-2-deep-research-manual.md)

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WormBase

(gpr-2-deep-research-wormbase.md)

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πŸ“š Additional Documentation

Notes

(gpr-2-notes.md)

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