The study shows that a protein called Gαs moves quickly to certain internal cell compartments after a receptor is activated, using a special lipid attachment (palmitoylation) but not needing the receptor to be pulled inside the cell.

Gα_s is classically known for mediating G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling at the plasma membrane (PM), but it is now established that Gα_s also supports a second wave of signaling from internalized GPCRs within early endosomes. However, the mechanisms underlying Gα_s trafficking remain unclear. Here, using live-cell confocal microscopy and bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) assays, we investigated Gα_s-GFP dynamics following activation of class A (β₂AR) and class B (V₂R) receptors, which exhibit different level of endosomal signaling. Our findings demonstrate that Gα_s rapidly ( < 2 min) translocates to late (Rab7) and slow recycling (Rab11) endosomes, bypassing the classical endocytic route and displaying only transient colocalization with receptors. This trafficking depends on Gα_s activation at the PM, its release from the membrane, and an intact palmitoylation site, but occurs independently of receptor internalization. This work shed light on non-canonical route for Gα_s endosomal trafficking, with important implications for endosomal GPCR signaling.