Guanylate cyclase 2C

Guanylate cyclase 2C, also known as guanylyl cyclase C (GC-C), intestinal guanylate cyclase, guanylate cyclase-C receptor, or the heat-stable enterotoxin receptor (hSTAR) is an is_associated_with::enzyme that in humans is encoded by the GUCY2C is_associated_with::gene.

Guanylyl cyclase is an enzyme found in the luminal aspect of intestinal is_associated_with::epithelium and dopamine neurons in the brain. The receptor has an is_associated_with::extracellular is_associated_with::ligand-binding domain, a single is_associated_with::transmembrane region, a region with sequence similar to that of is_associated_with::protein kinases, and a C-terminal is_associated_with::guanylate cyclase domain. is_associated_with::Tyrosine kinase activity mediates the GC-C signaling pathway within the cell.

Functions
GC-C is a key receptor for heat-stable is_associated_with::enterotoxins that are responsible for acute secretory is_associated_with::diarrhea. Heat-stable enterotoxins are produced by is_associated_with::pathogens such as is_associated_with::Escherichia coli. Knockout mice deficient in the GC-C gene do not show secretory diarrhea on infection with E. coli, though they do with is_associated_with::cholera toxin. This demonstrates the specificity of the GC-C receptor.

Diagnostic application
Because GC-C is tissue-specific for intestinal epithelium, it can be used for detection of is_associated_with::metastatic disease.