Neurocalcin
Encyclopedia
Neurocalcin is a neuronal calcium
-binding protein
that belongs to the neuronal calcium sensor
(NCS) family of proteins. It expressed in mammal
ian brain
s. It possesses a Ca2+/myristoyl switch
The subclass of neurocalcins are brain-specific proteins that fit in to the EF-hand superfamily of calcium binding proteins. The NCS family were defined by the photoreceptor cell-specific protein, recoverin. Neurocalcin was purified from the bovine brain by using calcium-dependant drug affinity chromatography. The amino acid sequence showed that neurocalcin has three functional calcium binding sites. It is expressed in the central nervous system, retina, and adrenal gland. With this unique pattern of expression it is thought that neurcalcin offers a different physiological role than similar proteins visinin and recoverin.
Calcium
Calcium is the chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. It has an atomic mass of 40.078 amu. Calcium is a soft gray alkaline earth metal, and is the fifth-most-abundant element by mass in the Earth's crust...
-binding protein
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
that belongs to the neuronal calcium sensor
Neuronal calcium sensor
Neuronal Calcium Sensor is a large family of proteins which work as calcium dependent molecular switches and includes members like Frequenin , recoverin, GCAP, neurocalcin, visinin etc...
(NCS) family of proteins. It expressed in mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
ian brain
Brain
The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...
s. It possesses a Ca2+/myristoyl switch
The subclass of neurocalcins are brain-specific proteins that fit in to the EF-hand superfamily of calcium binding proteins. The NCS family were defined by the photoreceptor cell-specific protein, recoverin. Neurocalcin was purified from the bovine brain by using calcium-dependant drug affinity chromatography. The amino acid sequence showed that neurocalcin has three functional calcium binding sites. It is expressed in the central nervous system, retina, and adrenal gland. With this unique pattern of expression it is thought that neurcalcin offers a different physiological role than similar proteins visinin and recoverin.
External links
- NCS proteins
- http://www.rcsb.org/pdb/explore/explore.do?structureId=1BJF Protein Database Page