Guanylate Cyclase 1 Beta 2 (GUCY1b2)

Nitric oxide-sensitive guanylyl cyclase (EC 4.6.1.2) is a heterodimeric enzyme consisting of an alpha and a beta subunit. The enzyme converts GTP into the second messenger cGMP and plays a major role in the cardiovascular system as a receptor for nitric oxide.

The predicted 682-amino acid rat protein shares 27% identity with rat GCS-beta-1 (GUCY1B3). Unlike other guanylyl cyclases, GCS-beta-2 contains an 86-amino acid C-terminal extension with a consensus sequence for isoprenylation / carboxymethylation. Northern blot analysis indicated that GCS-beta-2 is expressed at higher levels in rat kidney and liver, whereas GCS-beta-1 is preferentially expressed in lung and brain.