GUCY1B2

GUCY1B2 Full Name

guanylate cyclase 1, soluble, beta 2 (pseudogene)

GUCY1B2 Introduction

GUCY1B2, also known as guanylate cyclase 1 soluble beta-2, is classified as a pseudogene within the soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) family. Although pseudogenes generally lack protein-coding capacity, many of them retain regulatory potential at the transcriptional or post-transcriptional level. GUCY1B2 is similar in sequence to known active sGC β subunits. This could indicate that GUCY1B2 is the result of gene duplication, and the catalytic domains were subsequently lost. The gene is not translated into an active enzyme; however, transcriptional artifacts have been observed in some tissues, which may be evidence for some alternate regulatory functions, or adaptation of the nitric oxide (NO) pathway.

Figure 1. Comparison of soluble and membrane guanylate cyclases (MGCs).(Source: Sharma RK, et al.; 2016)

Under physiological conditions, it is believed that sGC complex to be the primary receptor for NO. This binding is the primary cause of sGC enzymatically converting GTP to cyclic GMP to help maintain vasodilation, neurotransmission, and cellular homeostasis. Although GUCY1B2 is not directly responsible for cGMP synthesis, it has been found that pseudogenes of sGC components may be involved in functioning as competitive endogenous RNAs or enhancers of local genomic regions. By these non-canonical mechanisms, GUCY1B2 could have a small role in fine-tuning the NO–cGMP signaling axis through regulation of authentic sGC subunits such as GUCY1A1 or GUCY1B1.

The number of diseases that can be directly associated with GUCY1B2 is small because it is a pseudogene. However, it has been shown that transcription of pseudogenes is related to tumorigenesis, cardiovascular deregulation and inflammatory diseases. Abnormalities in NO–cGMP signalling have been reported in hypertension, pulmonary arterial hypertension, neurodegenerative diseases and cancer, therefore it has been speculated that different expression levels of GUCY1B2 can be used to diagnose or contribute to these diseases. This is under current investigation through large-scale genome projects and pseudogenes, such as GUCY1B2, are being investigated for their possible role in disease states in terms of their effect on transcription.

Alternate Names for GUCY1B2

GUCY1B2; guanylate cyclase 1, soluble, beta 2 (pseudogene); GC-SB2;

• 1. Sharma RK, et al.; Integrative Signaling Networks of Membrane Guanylate Cyclases: Biochemistry and Physiology. Front Mol Neurosci. 2016, 9:83.