Elevated levels of the guanine nucleotide binding protein, Go, are associated with differentiation of neuroblastoma x glioma hybrid cells

Each of a range of pharmacological agents which function to increase intracellular levels of cAMP caused a morphological 'differentiation' of neuroblastoma x glioma hybrid, NG108-15, cells grown in tissue culture. Associated with this differentiation, increased incorporation of [32P]ADP-ribose catalysed by pertussis toxin was noted into a band of some 39-40 kDa in membranes derived from these cells. Immunoblotting using two antipeptide antisera which identify different regions of Go alpha demonstrated marked increases in the levels of this polypeptide in membranes of the differentiated cells. However, levels of the beta-subunit did not increase appreciably with differentiation.