Tuesday, December 6, 2011

What is G protein-coupled receptor

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), also known as seven-transmembrane domain receptors, 7TM receptors, heptahelical receptors, serpentine receptor, and G protein-linked receptors (GPLR), comprise a large protein family of transmembrane receptors that sense molecules outside the cell and activate inside signal transduction pathways and, ultimately, cellular responses. There are two principal signal transduction pathways involving the G protein-coupled receptors: the cAMP signal pathway and the Phosphatidylinositol signal pathway.
G protein-coupled receptors are found only in eukaryotes, including yeast, plants, choanoflagellates, and animals. When a ligand binds to the GPCR it causes a conformational change in the GPCR, which allows it to act as a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF).
The ligands that bind and activate these receptors include light-sensitive compounds, odors, pheromones, hormones, and neurotransmitters, and vary in size from small molecules to peptides to large proteins. On the basis of homology with rhodopsin, they are predicted to contain seven membrane-spanning helices, an extracellular N-terminus and an intracellular C-terminus. This gives rise to their other names, the 7-TM receptors or the heptahelical receptors.
G protein-coupled receptors are involved in many diseases, and are also the target of around half of all modern medicinal drugs. The GPCR can then activate an associated G-protein by exchanging its bound GDP for a GTP. They are characterized by seven transmembrane segments.
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