Structural basis for the function of the heterotrimeric G-proteins

X-ray structures for many heterotrimeric G-protein complexes have been solved over the past 5 years. The structures of the G-protein subunits with their bound ligands, in conjugate with each other, and in complex with their regulators and an effector, along with the large quantity of biochemical information, have greatly improved our understanding of how these proteins function in the transduction of signals. In this article, we discuss the characteristics and functions of the heterotrimeric G-proteins in a structural context.