Noncanonical scaffolding of Gαi and β-arrestin by G protein-coupled receptors.

Heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding protein (G protein)-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are common drug targets and canonically couple to specific Gα protein subtypes and β-arrestin adaptor proteins. G protein- and β-arrestin-mediated signaling have been considered separable. We show GPCRs promote a direct interaction between Gαi protein subtype family members and β-arrestins, regardless of their canonical Gαi protein subtype coupling. Gαi:β-arrestin complexes bound extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and their disruption impaired both ERK activation and cell migration, consistent with β-arrestins requiring a functional interaction with Gαi for certain signaling events. These results introduce a GPCR signaling mechanism distinct from canonical G protein activation in which GPCRs cause the formation of Gαi:β-arrestin signaling complexes.