Early studies showed that in addition to GTP, the pyrimidine nucleotides UTP and CTP support activation of the adenylyl cyclase (AC)-stimulating G s protein.The aim of this study was to elucidate the mechanism by which UTP and CTP support G s activation. As models, we used S49 wild-type lymphoma cells, representing a physiologically relevant system in which the  2 -adrenoreceptor ( 2 AR) couples to G s , and Sf9 insect cell membranes expressing  2 AR-G␣ s fusion proteins. Fusion proteins provide a higher sensitivity for the analysis of  2 AR-G s coupling than native systems. Nucleoside 5-triphosphates (NTPs) supported agonist-stimulated AC activity in the two systems and basal AC activity in membranes from cholera toxin-treated S49 cells in the order of efficacy GTP > UTP > CTP > ATP (ineffective). NTPs disrupted high affinity agonist binding in  2 AR-G␣ s in the order of efficacy GTP > UTP > CTP > ATP (ineffective). In contrast, the order of efficacy of NTPs as substrates for nucleoside diphosphokinase, catalyzing the formation of GTP from GDP and NTP was ATP > UTP > CTP > GTP. NTPs inhibited  2 AR-G␣ s -catalyzed [␥-32 P]GTP hydrolysis in the order of potency GTP > UTP > CTP. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that UTP is accommodated more easily within the binding pocket of G␣ s than CTP. Collectively, our data indicate that GTP, UTP, and CTP interact differentially with G s proteins and that transphosphorylation of GDP to GTP is not involved in this G protein activation. In certain cell systems, intracellular UTP and CTP concentrations reach ϳ10 nmol/mg of protein and are higher than intracellular GTP concentrations, indicating that G protein activation by UTP and CTP can occur physiologically. G protein activation by UTP and CTP could be of particular importance in pathological conditions such as cholera and Lesch-Nyhan syndrome.G proteins consist of an ␣ subunit and a ␥ complex and serve as signal transducers between agonist-activated GPCRs 1 and effector systems (1-4). Upon binding of an agonist, GPCRs undergo a conformational change causing GDP dissociation from G␣. GDP dissociation is the rate-limiting step of the G protein cycle. Agonist-occupied GPCRs then form a ternary complex with the nucleotide-free G protein. The ternary complex possesses high agonist affinity. Subsequently, GPCRs promote binding of GTP to G␣. The binding of GTP to G␣ induces the active conformation of the G protein, leading to the dissociation of the heterotrimer into G␣-GTP and the ␥ complex. Both G␣-GTP and ␥ can regulate the activity of effector systems. G␣ possesses GTPase activity. The GTPase cleaves GTP into GDP and P i and thereby deactivates the G protein. G␣-GDP and ␥ reassociate, completing the G protein cycle.Intriguingly, not only the purine nucleotide GTP but also pyrimidine nucleotides exhibit effects on G proteins. Particularly, various natural and synthetic uracil nucleotides disrupt the complex between the photoexcited light receptor rhodopsin and the retinal G protein transducin, but the uracil n...