Guanylate Cyclase 2C (GUCY2C)

Mann et al. (1996) described guanylyl cyclase C as a transmembrane receptor expressed primarily in the intestine that regulates chloride secretion via the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator. Binding of GC-C to either the endogenous peptide guanylin or the bacterially derived heat-stable enterotoxin STa, results in increased levels of cGMP and the stimulation of water and chloride secretion. In the case of exposure to STa, this leads to debilitating secretory diarrhea.

The placement of the mouse gene between Tpi and Kras2, which map to human chromosome 12p13 and 12p12.1, respectively, suggested to the authors that the human GUC2C gene resides on 12p as well. This was confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization, which mapped the human GUC2C gene to 12p12.