GTP-binding trimeric proteins have been implicated in signal transduction from receptors in the cell membrane to intracellular effectors and ion channels in a variety of cells (1-5). The mechanism involves signal-induced G-protein activation initiated by an exchange of GDP for GTP on the ␣ subunit of the protein (5-7). Subsequent GTPase activity of the G␣ subunit converts the activated G-proteins into their inactive, GDPbound state (7). Activation of G-proteins has been induced experimentally by stimulation of G-protein-coupled receptors in the cell membrane (2,3,8,9). Evidence indicating activation of G-proteins in response to membrane depolarization were previously observed in brain stem synaptoneurosomes (10 -12).G␣ o -proteins are widely distributed in the central nervous system (15-17). Three subtypes showing marked homology but exhibiting functional differences have been identified (13,14,18). The G␣ o1 subtype appears to be involved in the coupling of muscarinic receptors to Ca ϩ2 channels, and the G␣ o2 subtype mediates inhibition of Ca ϩ2 current activated by somatostatin receptors (19). The function of the G␣ o3 subtype is not clear (14). Phospholipase C activation mediated by activation of G oproteins has been demonstrated in the cell-free system (20), and G o -protein-mediated activation of protein kinase C has been observed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells (21).In the present study, in situ photoaffinity labeling with [␣ 32 P]GTPAA 1 (22, 23) indicated a depolarization-induced accelerated exchange of GDP for [␣ 32 P]GTPAA in G␣ o1 -and G␣ o3 -proteins, implying a depolarization-induced activation of these G o -proteins. [␣ 32 P]-GTPAA was introduced into transiently permeabilized synaptoneurosomes as described before (10). Unlike the endogenously bound guanine nucleotides, [␣ 32 P]GT-PAA, covalently bound to G␣-proteins by photoaffinity labeling, was not displaced during SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, providing a possible tool for identification of in situ activated G-proteins.In view of findings indicating a reciprocal influence of depolarization-induced activation of VGSC and uncoupling of Gproteins from muscarinic receptors (12, 24, 25), we examined the possibility that VGSC can be involved in depolarizationinduced activation of G␣ o -proteins. Our results indicated that depolarization-induced activation of G o -proteins can be prevented by preventing VGSC activation. In addition, in depolarized brain-stem and cortical synaptoneurosomes, the ␣ subunit of VGSC cross-linked most efficiently with G␣ o -proteins. In isolated synaptoneurosomal membranes, VGSC-␣ subunit cross-linked most efficiently with GDPS-bound rather than GTP␥S-bound G␣ o -proteins. These findings suggest repeated