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Related Concept Videos

Signal Transduction: Overview01:26

Signal Transduction: Overview

Cells respond to many types of information, often through receptor proteins positioned on the membrane. They respond to chemical signals, such as hormones, neurotransmitters, and other signaling molecules, initiating a series of molecular reactions to produce an appropriate response. This is called signal transduction. Cells also coordinate different responses elicited by the same signaling molecule via mediators, allowing molecular cross-talk.
Typically, signal transduction involves three...
Amplifying Signals via Enzymatic Cascade01:22

Amplifying Signals via Enzymatic Cascade

When a ligand binds to a cell-surface receptor, the receptor's intracellular domain changes shape, which may either activate its enzyme function or allow its binding to other molecules. The initial signal is amplified by most signal transduction pathways. This means that a single ligand molecule can activate multiple molecules of a downstream target. Proteins that relay a signal are most commonly phosphorylated at one or more sites, activating or inactivating the protein. Kinases catalyze the...
Interactions Between Signaling Pathways01:19

Interactions Between Signaling Pathways

Signaling cascades usually lack linearity. Multiple pathways interact and regulate one another, allowing cells to integrate and respond to diverse environmental stimuli.
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
Intracellular Signaling Cascades01:24

Intracellular Signaling Cascades

Once a ligand binds to a receptor, the signal is transmitted through the membrane and into the cytoplasm. The continuation of a signal in this manner is called signal transduction. Signal transduction only occurs with cell-surface receptors, which cannot interact with most components of the cell, such as DNA. Only internal receptors can interact directly with DNA in the nucleus to initiate protein synthesis. When a ligand binds to its receptor, conformational changes occur that affect the...
Intracellular Signaling Cascades01:24

Intracellular Signaling Cascades

Once a ligand binds to a receptor, the signal is transmitted through the membrane and into the cytoplasm. The continuation of a signal in this manner is called signal transduction. Signal transduction only occurs with cell-surface receptors, which cannot interact with most components of the cell, such as DNA. Only internal receptors can interact directly with DNA in the nucleus to initiate protein synthesis. When a ligand binds to its receptor, conformational changes occur that affect the...
Amplifying Signals via Second Messengers01:15

Amplifying Signals via Second Messengers

Many receptor binding ligands are hydrophilic; they do not cross the cell membrane but bind to cell-surface receptors. Thus, their message must be relayed by second messengers present in the cell cytoplasm. There are several second messenger pathways, each with its own way of relaying information. For example, the G protein-coupled receptors can activate both phosphoinositol and cyclic AMP (cAMP) second messenger pathways. The phosphoinositol pathway is active when the receptor induces...

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Mimicking the Function of Signaling Proteins: Toward Artificial Signal Transduction Therapy
12:24

Mimicking the Function of Signaling Proteins: Toward Artificial Signal Transduction Therapy

Published on: September 29, 2016

Engineering signal transduction pathways.

Christina Kiel1, Eva Yus, Luis Serrano

  • 1EMBL-CRG Systems Biology Unit, Design of Biological Systems, Centre de Regulació Genòmica, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.

Cell
|January 21, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Synthetic biology enables engineering of cellular signal transduction pathways for new functions. This review explores challenges, benefits, and drawbacks of modifying these pathways in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, impacting future biotechnology and biomedicine.

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Mimicking the Function of Signaling Proteins: Toward Artificial Signal Transduction Therapy
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Published on: September 29, 2016

Optogenetic Signaling Activation in Zebrafish Embryos
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Area of Science:

  • Cellular biology
  • Synthetic biology
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Cells sense environmental signals and alter gene expression.
  • Synthetic networks are engineered into cells for novel functions.
  • Signal transduction pathways are key targets for cellular engineering.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review challenges in engineering signal transduction pathways.
  • To compare advantages and disadvantages of pathway engineering in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
  • To discuss the impact of synthetic biology on biotechnology and biomedicine.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of synthetic biology applications in signal transduction.
  • Analysis of engineering strategies in prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems.
  • Highlighting recent examples and case studies.

Main Results:

  • Engineering signal transduction pathways presents unique challenges.
  • Both prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems offer distinct advantages and disadvantages for pathway engineering.
  • Synthetic biology offers significant potential for advancing biotechnology and biomedicine.

Conclusions:

  • Successful engineering of signal transduction pathways requires overcoming specific hurdles.
  • Choosing between prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems depends on application-specific needs.
  • Advances in synthetic biology are poised to revolutionize biotechnology and biomedicine through engineered cellular functions.