Guanosine diphosphate , signal transduction

G proteins comprise several families of diverse cellular proteins that subserve an equally diverse array of cellular functions. These proteins derive their name from the fact that they bind the guanine nucleotides guanosine triphosphate (GTP) and guanosine diphosphate (GDP) and possess intrinsic GTPase activity. G proteins play a central role in signal transduction as well as in a myriad of cellular processes, including membrane vesicle transport,... 

All GTP binding proteins in signal transduction share a common structural element - the Ras-like domain which is responsible for the specific complexation of guanosine diphosphate and -triphosphate and which contains catalytic residues that promote GTP-hydrolysis. 

The presence of a nitrogen-containing side chain facilitates interaction with the catalytic site of FPPS, an enzyme in the metabolic pathway that is required for the production of the isoprenoid hpids farnesyl diphosphate and geranylgeranyl diphosphate, essential metabolites for posttranslational protein prenylation [5, 8]. Inhibiting the prenylation of guanosine triphosphate-binding proteins such as Ras, Rho, and Rac disrupts the normal cellular signal transduction that is required for osteoclast function and survival [5]. 

G protein A guanosine triphosphate (GTP)-binding protein that serves as a transducer in a signal transduction pathway. On binding GTP and releasing guanosine diphosphate (GDP), a G protein is able to activate the effector enzyme (e.g., adenylate cyclase). 

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