Pertussis toxin stimulates delayed-onset, Ca2+-dependent catecholamine release and the ADP-ribosylation of a 40 kDa protein in bovine adrenal chromaffin cells

Pertussis toxin was found to stimulate catecholamine release from bovine adrenal chromaffin cells in a Ca2+ -dependent manner and in the absence of any stimulatory or inhibitory agonists for this cell. The release of catecholamine was associated with the ADP-ribosylation of an approx. 40 kDa protein present in the total membrane fraction. These results are consistent with the existence of an exocytosis-linked G-protein.