Signal Transduction

Learning Objectives

By the end of the chapter you should be able to:
  1. Be able to list the components of a signal transduction cascade
  2. Discuss the general methods of intracellular communication
  3. Define first and second messenger and how the amplification of a first messenger occurs.
  4. Describe a few first messengers
  5. Understand the different forms of receptors , both intracellular and cell surface and their general mechanism of action
  6. Discuss the method of light induced signaling.
  7. Know the relationship between heterotrimeric G proteins, GAPs, and GEFs.
  8. Describe the makeup and interactions between the subunit of heterotrimeric G proteins.
  9. Understand the mechanism that the receptor interacts with the G protein and then structurally what happens to the G protein subunits.
  10. Know various classes (four) of the heterotrimeric G proteins and some of the biochemical functions.
  11. Understand the actions of cholera toxin and pertussus toxin.
  12. Relate the heterotrimeric G proteins to the small G proteins.
  13. Know the various classes of small G proteins and their relationship to the heterotrimeric G proteins
  14. Discuss the down-stream elements of G protein signaling (what are the G protein effectors).
  15. Describe the structure of various agonist receptors that contain integral enzymatic activity.
  16. Describe the different types of tyrosine kinase receptors and the mechanism of activation for each type
  17. Understand the general function of Nitric Oxide (NO) signaling.
  18. Know which hormones activate the various receptor tyrosine kinases
  19. Know the mechanism of Src interactions and each of the different Src homology domains
  20. Know how protein kinase C and protein kinase A are involved in signal transduction - review the lecture information from last semester and read the handout concerning this section
  21. Describe the mechanism of activation of both MAP kinase and CaM Kinase.
  22. Draw the structure of PIP2 and write the reaction for PLC. Know the signal transduction cascade for the phosphoinositide cascade.
  23. Discuss in some detail the three different isoforms of phospholipase C. Focus on structure, regulation, homology between the forms, locations in the cell.
  24. Explain the mechanism of Ras signaling in by cells. Know the Ras Raf MAPK signaling pathway
  25. Describe the method that G proteins regulate cAMP production.
  26. Understand the different means that steroid hormones signal as compared to the other agonists discussed thus far.