Heterotrimeric G proteins, consisting of the guanine nucleotidebinding G␣ subunits with GTPase activity and the closely associated G and G␥ subunits, are important signaling components for receptors with seven transmembrane domains (7TMRs). These receptors, also termed G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), act as guanine nucleotide exchange factors upon agonist stimulation. There is now accumulating evidence for noncanonical functions of heterotrimeric G proteins independent of 7TMR coupling. G␣ proteins belonging to all 4 subfamilies, including G s , G i , G q , and G 12 are found to play important roles in receptor tyrosine kinase signaling, regulation of oxidant production, development, and cell migration, through physical and functional interaction with proteins other than 7TMRs. Association of G␣ with non-7TMR proteins also facilitates presentation of these G proteins to specific cellular microdomains. This Minireview aims to summarize our current understanding of the noncanonical roles of G␣ proteins in cell signaling and to discuss unresolved issues including regulation of G␣ activation by proteins other than the 7TMRs.