A gas sensor protein is a type of

protein Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residue (biochemistry), residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including Enzyme catalysis, catalysing metab ...

that detects and responds to specific gaseous signaling molecules, playing a role in various biological processes and environmental sensing mechanisms. Protein-based gasoreceptors are generally found in the

cytoplasm The cytoplasm describes all the material within a eukaryotic or prokaryotic cell, enclosed by the cell membrane, including the organelles and excluding the nucleus in eukaryotic cells. The material inside the nucleus of a eukaryotic cell a ...

of cells. They act in cell signaling by receiving (binding to) gaseous signaling molecules or

gasotransmitter Gasotransmitters is a class of neurotransmitters. The molecules are distinguished from other bioactive endogenous gaseous signaling molecules based on a need to meet distinct characterization criteria. Currently, only nitric oxide, carbon monoxid ...

s. They are specialized proteins that allow communication within and between cells. Gas-sensing gasoreceptors has been identified for

ethylene Ethylene (IUPAC name: ethene) is a hydrocarbon which has the formula or . It is a colourless, flammable gas with a faint "sweet and musky" odour when pure. It is the simplest alkene (a hydrocarbon with carbon–carbon bond, carbon–carbon doub ...

in plants,

nitric oxide Nitric oxide (nitrogen oxide, nitrogen monooxide, or nitrogen monoxide) is a colorless gas with the formula . It is one of the principal oxides of nitrogen. Nitric oxide is a free radical: it has an unpaired electron, which is sometimes den ...

in mammals,

carbon monoxide Carbon monoxide (chemical formula CO) is a poisonous, flammable gas that is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and slightly less dense than air. Carbon monoxide consists of one carbon atom and one oxygen atom connected by a triple bond. It is the si ...

, and

oxygen Oxygen is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group (periodic table), group in the periodic table, a highly reactivity (chemistry), reactive nonmetal (chemistry), non ...

in microorganisms. In the process of signal transduction, gaseous solute binding affects a cascading chemical change through the cell. Whether gasoreceptors exist for gases such as

hydrogen sulfide Hydrogen sulfide is a chemical compound with the formula . It is a colorless chalcogen-hydride gas, and is toxic, corrosive, and flammable. Trace amounts in ambient atmosphere have a characteristic foul odor of rotten eggs. Swedish chemist ...

and

methane Methane ( , ) is a chemical compound with the chemical formula (one carbon atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms). It is a group-14 hydride, the simplest alkane, and the main constituent of natural gas. The abundance of methane on Earth makes ...

is still under investigation. All gasoreceptors seem to require either metal cofactor or ions to bind to gas. Example includes the requirement of

copper Copper is a chemical element; it has symbol Cu (from Latin ) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkish-orang ...

ion in ethylene gasoreceptor and

heme Heme (American English), or haem (Commonwealth English, both pronounced /Help:IPA/English, hi:m/ ), is a ring-shaped iron-containing molecule that commonly serves as a Ligand (biochemistry), ligand of various proteins, more notably as a Prostheti ...

cofactor in NO gasoreceptor soluble guanylyl cyclase.

History

Below is a brief selection of key events in the history of gas sensing research. * 1990s – Dos and FixL were discovered as oxygen sensor in bacteria ''E. coli'' and ''R. meliloti'' respectively. CooA and RcoM was discovered as carbon monoxide sensor in ''Rhodospirillum rubrum'' and ''Burkholderia xenovorans'' respectively. Soluble guanylyl cyclase was discovered as nitric oxide sensor in mammals. Ethylene receptor ETR1 was identified in Arabidopsis.

References

Proteins {{Protein-stub

History

See also

References