title: G-protein cascades: gain and kinetics.
abstract: G-protein cascades provide amplification in a wide variety of biological signal transducers--from hormonal and synaptic systems to the receptor cells of vision and olfaction. Through recent understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved, it is possible to construct a quantitative description of the amplification and speed of response of the cascade. The gain and kinetics can now be described in terms of physical parameters, such as enzyme activities and the densities and lateral diffusion coefficients of the proteins involved.
authors.affiliation: Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Lamb
authors.forename: E N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Pugh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000502:physiology; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D006150:Guanine Nucleotides / Q000378:metabolism; D015640:Ion Channel Gating; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D010727:Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D010786:Photoreceptor Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta / Q000378:metabolism; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D006150:Guanine Nucleotides; D007473:Ion Channels; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D010727:Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins