cGKII is thought to play a key role in a diverse set of physiological pathway. cGKII may mediate intestinal secretion of water and electrolytes induced by the E. coli toxin STa and the intestinal peptide guanylin. Edentification of the pathway that mediates intestinal fluid secretion by E. coli STa has potential medical implications because STa causes traveler's diarrhea and about 50% of infant mortality in developing countries. Transfection experiments in human cells disclose that cGKII phosphorylates SOX9 and attenuates SOX9 function by inhibiting its nuclear entry. Impaired differentiation of cultured KMI chondrocytes can be restored by silencing Sox9 by RNA interference. cGKII is postulated to be a molecular switch that couples the cessation of proliferation and the start of hypertrophic chondrocyte differentiation through attenuating SOX9 function.

HUMAN

2-8°C (short-term); -20°C (long-term)