It's cold, mom! It's cyclic GMP

Abstract

Cyclic GMP is the signal transducer of a family of transmembrane, particulate guanylyl cyclase (GC) receptors with key roles in physiology and disease. GC-G, the last member of the membrane GCs identified in mammals, is an orphan receptor and its regulation and function have remained largely unknown. In this issue of The EMBO Journal, Chao et al (2015) show that the GC-G/cGMP pathway, which is expressed in a specific cluster of olfactory neurons of neonatal mice, functions as a cold-induced thermosensor, which triggers protective maternal care.

Figure 1. Activators, general structure, main tissue expression sites and main regulatory functions of transmembrane, particulate guanylyl cyclases (pGCs)

Left side: GC-G is expressed in a specific cluster of olfactory neurons of neonatal mice, the Grüneberg Ganglion (GG). Cold-ambient temperatures induce GC-G dimerization and thereby stimulate cGMP production. Activation of the GG neurons by a coolness-induced GC-G/cGMP/CNG/calcium cascade triggers ultrasound calls which alert the mother to take care of her pups.