Journal of Biological Chemistry
Volume 274, Issue 45, 5 November 1999, Pages 32248-32257
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CELL BIOLOGY AND METABOLISM
Association of β-Arrestin with G Protein-coupled Receptors during Clathrin-mediated Endocytosis Dictates the Profile of Receptor Resensitization*

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Resensitization of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) following agonist-mediated desensitization is a necessary step for maintaining physiological responsiveness. However, the molecular mechanisms governing the nature of GPCR resensitization are poorly understood. Here, we examine the role of β-arrestin in the resensitization of the β2 adrenergic receptor (β2AR), known to recycle and resensitize rapidly, and the vasopressin V2 receptor (V2R), known to recycle and resensitize slowly. Upon agonist activation, both receptors recruit β-arrestin to the plasma membrane and internalize in a β-arrestin- and clathrin-dependent manner. However, whereas β-arrestin dissociates from the β2AR at the plasma membrane, it internalizes with the V2R into endosomes. The differential trafficking of β-arrestin and the ability of these two receptors to dephosphorylate, recycle, and resensitize is completely reversed when the carboxyl-terminal tails of these two receptors are switched. Moreover, the ability of β-arrestin to remain associated with desensitized GPCRs during clathrin-mediated endocytosis is mediated by a specific cluster of phosphorylated serine residues in the receptor carboxyl-terminal tail. These results demonstrate that the interaction of β-arrestin with a specific motif in the GPCR carboxyl-terminal tail dictates the rate of receptor dephosphorylation, recycling, and resensitization, and thus provide direct evidence for a novel mechanism by which β-arrestins regulate the reestablishment of GPCR responsiveness.

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*

This work was supported in part by National Institutes of Health Grant NS 19576 (to M. G. C.), an unrestricted Neuroscience Award from Bristol-Myers Squibb (to M. G. C.), and National Institutes of Health Grant HL 61365 (to L. S. B.). The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. The article must therefore be hereby marked “advertisement” in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.