Phospholipase C Beta 2 (PLCb2)

Phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PLC) plays a major role in transmembrane signaling by catalyzing the hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) and thereby generating the second messenger molecules inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) and diacylglycerol. Several distinct PLC enzymes have been identified in a variety of mammalian tissues.PLCb2 codes for the enzyme phospholipase C β2. The enzyme catalyzes the formation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and diacylglycerol from phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate. This reaction uses calcium as a cofactor and plays an important role in the intracellular transduction of many extracellular signals. This gene is activated by two G-protein alpha subunits, alpha-q and alpha-11, as well as G-beta gamma subunits.