A highly sensitive adenylate cyclase assay method has been developed which employs sequential chromatography on columns of Dowex cation exchange resin and aluminum oxide. With the use of [a-"'PIATP as substrate, this method permits the nearly complete separation of cyclic ["'PIAMP formed from the substrate and other "P-containing compounds, i.e., "P in the assay blanks was barely detectable. In comparative studies, this method was found to be considerably more sensitive than previously reported methods. The high sensitivity of this method permits detection of the small amounts of cyclic AMP formed at low enzyme concentrations or at early time points in kinetic studies.

Cell membrane receptors for hormones and neurotransmitters form oligomeric complexes with GTP-regulatory proteins and inhibit the latter from reacting with GTP. Hormones and neurotransmitters act by releasing the inhibitory constraints imposed by the receptors, thus allowing the GTP-regulatory proteins to interact with and control the activity of enzymes such as adenylate cyclase. This theory may apply generally to membrane signal transduction involving surface receptors.

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