Capturing cyclic nucleotides in action: snapshots from crystallographic studies.
Fifty years ago, cyclic AMP was discovered as a second messenger of hormone action, heralding the age of signal transduction. Many cellular processes were found to be regulated by cAMP and the related cyclic GMP. Cyclic nucleotides function by binding to and activating their effectors - protein kinase A, protein kinase G, cyclic-nucleotide-regulated ion channels and the guanine nucleotide-exchange factor Epac. Recent structural insights have now made it possible to propose a general structural mechanism for how cyclic nucleotides regulate these proteins.
Rehmann
Holger
H
Department of Physiological Chemistry and Centre for Biomedical Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands. h.rehmann@UMCutrecht.nl
Wittinghofer
Alfred
A
Bos
Johannes L
JL
D000818:Animals; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism
D007473:Ion Channels; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D011494:Protein Kinases; D006152:Cyclic GMP