Receptor guanylyl cyclase-G is a novel thermosensory protein activated by cool temperatures.

Chao Y-C., Chen C-C., Lin Y-C., Breer H., Fleischer J., Yang R-B.

Transmembrane guanylyl cyclases (GCs), with activity regulated by peptide ligands and/or calcium-binding proteins, are essential for various physiological and sensory processes. The mode of activation of the GC subtype GC-G, which is expressed in neurons of the Grueneberg ganglion that respond to cool temperatures, has been elusive. In searching for appropriate stimuli to activate GC-G, we found that its enzymatic activity is directly stimulated by cool temperatures. In this context, it was observed that dimerization/oligomerization of GC-G, a process generally considered as critical for enzymatic activity of GCs, is strongly enhanced by coolness. Moreover, heterologous expression of GC-G in cultured cells rendered these cells responsive to coolness; thus, the protein might be a sensor for cool temperatures. This concept is supported by the observation of substantially reduced coolness-induced response of Grueneberg ganglion neurons and coolness-evoked ultrasonic vocalization in GC-G-deficient mouse pups. GC-G may be a novel thermosensory protein with functional implications for the Grueneberg ganglion, a sensory organ responding to cool temperatures.

DOI

10.15252/embj.201489652

Type

Journal article

Publication Date

2015-02-03T00:00:00+00:00

Volume

34

Pages

294 - 306

Total pages

12

Keywords

Grueneberg ganglion, chemosensory, cyclic guanosine monophosphate, transmembrane guanylyl cyclase GC‐G, ultrasound vocalization, Animals, Calcium-Binding Proteins, Cold Temperature, Guanylate Cyclase, HEK293 Cells, Humans, Membrane Proteins, Mice, Mice, Knockout, Neurons, Protein Multimerization

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