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Fluoroaluminates activate transducin-GDP by mimicking the gamma-phosphate of GTP in its binding site.
| FEBS Letters | Bigay J, Deterre P, Pfister C, Chabre M. | 191(2):181-5.
Aluminum Aluminum fluoride G-Proteins Cell Study

Abstract

Fluoride activation of the cGMP cascade of vision requires the presence of aluminum, and is shown to be mediated by the binding of one A1F-4 to the GDP/GTP-binding subunit of transducin. The presence of GDP in the site is required: A1F-4 is ineffective when the site is empty or when GDP beta S is substituted for GDP. This sensitivity to the sulfur of GDP beta S suggests that A1F-4 is in contact with the GDP. Striking structural similarities between A1F-4 and PO3-4 lead us to propose that A1F-4 mimics the role of the gamma-phosphate of GTP.