which of the following statements best describes the role of adenylyl cyclase in the epinephrine signaling pathway?
Adenylyl cyclase’s role in the epinephrine signaling pathway is to act as a membrane-bound enzyme that converts ATP into cyclic AMP (cAMP), the key second messenger that amplifies the epinephrine signal inside the cell.
Core role in the pathway
- When epinephrine binds its β-adrenergic receptor (a GPCR), the associated Gs protein is activated and its α-subunit stimulates adenylyl cyclase in the plasma membrane.
- Activated adenylyl cyclase catalyzes the conversion of ATP to cAMP, increasing intracellular cAMP levels, which then activate protein kinase A (PKA) and downstream responses such as glycogen breakdown and glucose release.
“Best description” style answer
If this is a multiple-choice question, the best statement typically looks like:
“Adenylyl cyclase is an enzyme in the plasma membrane that, when activated by a Gs protein, converts ATP to cAMP, serving to generate the second messenger that amplifies the epinephrine signal.”
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