Unit 3 - Cell Signalling Flashcards
what is the difference between a protein kinase and phosphatase?
kinase - phosphorylates - switches proteins on - active form
phosphatase - dephosphorylates (removes a protein) - switches off - inactive form
what is the effect of protein kinase to the proteins?
conformational changes in proteins causes post-translational modifications in different parts of the protein
- phosphoserine/ phosphothreonine/ phosphotyrosine
what are the two main classes of kinases?
serine/ threonine kinases: - PKA, PKB, PKC - MAPK - cyclin dependent kinases tyrosine kinases: - growth factors - oncogenes
what is a protein kinase cascade?
receptor kinases is activated by hormone and becomes autophosphorylated and then series of phosphorylations which amplifies the amount of protein at each level
- e.g. MAPKKK - MAPKK - MAPK
what is the difference in calcium concentration in ECF and cytosol?
ECF = 1mM
cytosol = 100 nM
(thousandfold)
what causes release of calcium from endoplasmic reticulum?
neurotransmitter acts on voltage gated sodium channel
depolarisation causes sodium influx
triggers opening of voltage gated calcium channels on ER
OR
production of IP3 activates release of calcium
what protein does calcium bind to and what effect does this protein have?
calcium binds to calmodulin
calmodulin activates CAM kinase which triggers a protein cascade and targets different proteins such as:
- myosin light chain kinase = smooth muscle contraction
- nitrogen oxide synthase = release of nitrogen oxide
give five examples of 2nd messenger molecules
cAMP cGMP PIP3 DAG IP3
what is the effector of cAMP and describe what it activates
adenylate cyclase (catalyses conversion of ATP to cAMP)
cAMP activates PKA
(PKA inactivates myosin light chain kinase or activates glycogen phosphorylase)
what is the effector of cGMP and describe what it activates
guanylate cyclase (catalyses conversion of GTP to cGMP)
cGMP activates PKG
(PKG activates myosin phosphatase)
what is the effector of PIP3 and describe what it activates
PI3K (catalyses conversion of PIP2 to PIP3)
PIP3 activates PDK1 to activate PKB
(PKB activates mTOR leading to cascade of signalling for growth and proliferation)
what is the effector of DAG/ IP3 and describe what it activates
phosholipase C (catalyses hydrolysis of PIP2 to DAG/IP3) IP3 binds to calcium channels on ER to release more calcium DAG activates PKC (calcium also activates PKC) which activates PIP2 to produce more IP3 - amplify release of calcium
describe the structure of G proteins
7 transmembrane alpha helices with 3 subunits: alpha/ beta/ gamma
describe the mechanism of G proteins
ligand binds to GPCR - alpha subunit exchanges GDP fror GTP
- alpha subunit dissociates and regulates effector which relays signal by 2nd messenger molecules
how is GTP hydrolysed and what is the significance of this?
hydrolysed by GTPase back into GDP
rate of hydrolysis determines the length of time protein in active form
(can be modulated by RGS and GAP proteins)