Staff profile
Dr Martin Cann
Contact (email at m.j.cann@durham.ac.uk)
Biography
cAMP is one of the most widely used signalling molecules in the animal kingdom, modulating numerous aspects of cell function from bacteria to higher eukaryotes.
In metazoans, cAMP is synthesised by a ubiquitous family of plasma membrane spanning adenylyl cyclases (AC) (transmembrane adenylyl cyclase; tmAC) that mediate the responses of the cell to extracellular signals. Recently, a cytosolic form of AC (soluble adenylyl cyclase; sAC) has been identified in mammals and demonstrated to be molecularly and biochemically distinct from the tmACs.
sAC is directly stimulated by bicarbonate ion in a pH independent manner. HCO3- has many roles in eukaryotic physiology including pH homeostasis, gas exchange, reproductive function, and kidney function. A role for HCO3- in signal transduction through the synthesis of cAMP may have profound implications for our understanding of these systems.
The catalytic domains of sAC are most similar to those of a number of bacterial ACs and consistent with this a recombinant cyanobacterial AC, Spirulina platensis CyaC, was also demonstrated to be HCO3- responsive. Work in our laboratory is currently directed to establish the principle that HCO3- is a biologically relevant signaling molecule using a number of model bacterial species.
Research Groups
- Bioactive Chemistry
- Bioactive Chemistry: Biological Sciences Staff
- Plant and Microbial Sciences
Research Interests
- Cell biology of bicarbonate and carbon dioxide
- Cyclic nucleotide signaling
- Signal transduction
Teaching Areas
- Level 1 Molecular Basis of Life (6 hours/year.)
- Level 2 Animal Physiology (13 hours/year.)
- Level 2 Clinical and Metabolic Biochemistry (23 hours/year.)
- Level 3 Stress and Responses to the Environment (10 hours/year.)
Indicators of Esteem
- 2003: Fellowship: Leverhulme Trust Research Fellow 2003-2005
Publications
- Cann, MJ 2007. Sodium regulation of GAF domain function. Biochemical Society Transactions 35: 1032-1034. (Additional information)
Journal papers: academic
- Townsend, PD, Holliday, PM, Fenyk, S, Hess, KC, Gray, MA, Hodgson, DRW & Cann, MJ 2009. Stimulation of Mammalian G-protein-responsive Adenylyl Cyclases by Carbon Dioxide. Journal Of Biological Chemistry 284(2): 784-791. (Additional information)
- Cann, M 2007. A subset of GAF domains are evolutionarily conserved sodium sensors. Molecular Microbiology 64(2): 461-472. (Additional information) (View publication online)
- Williamson, D, Cann, MJ & Hodgson, DRW 2007. Synthesis of 5 '-amino-5 '-deoxyguanosine-5 '-N-phosphoramidate and its enzymatic incorporation at the 5 '-termini of RNA molecules. Chemical Communications (47): 5096-5098. (Additional information)
- J.H. Yu, D. Parker, R. Pal, R.A. Poole & M.J. Cann 2006. A europium complex that selectively stains nucleoli of cells. Journal of the American Chemical Society 128(7): 2294-2299. (View publication online)
- Hammer, A., Hodgson, D.R.W. & Cann, M.J. 2006. Regulation of prokaryotic adenylyl cyclases by CO₂. Biochemical Journal 396(2): 215-218. (Additional information) (View publication online)
- R.A. Poole, G. Bobba, M.J. Cann, J.C. Frias, D. Parker & R.D. Peacock 2005. Synthesis and characterisation of highly emissive and kinetically stable lanthanide complexes suitable for usage "in cellulo". Org Biomol Chem 3(6): 1013-24.
- M. Cann 2004. Bicarbonate stimulated adenylyl cyclases. IUBMB Life 56(9): 529-34.
- Y. Bretonniere, M.J. Cann, D. Parker & R. Slater 2004. Design, synthesis and evaluation of ratiometric probes for hydrogencarbonate based on europium emission. Org Biomol Chem 2(11): 1624-32.
- Cann, M.J. 2004. Signalling through cyclic nucleotide monophosphates in cyanobacteria. New Phytologist 161(23-34).
- Cann, M.J., Hammer, A., Zhou, J. & Kanacher, T. 2003. A defined subset of adenylyl cyclases is regulated by bicarbonate ion. Journal of Biological Chemistry 278(37): 35033-35038. (View publication online)
- J.C. Frias, G. Bobba, M.J. Cann, C.J. Hutchison & D. Parker 2003. Luminescent nonacoordinate cationic lanthanide complexes as potential cellular imaging and reactive probes. Org Biomol Chem 1(6): 905-7.
- M.J. Cann 2003. Signalling through cyclic nucleotide monophosphates in cyanobacteria. New Phytologist 161: 23-34.
- M.J. Cann & L.R. Levin 2002. Identification of transmembrane adenylyl cyclase isoforms. Methods Enzymol 345: 150-9.
- Y. Bretonniere, M.J. Cann, D. Parker & R. Slater 2002. Ratiometric probes for hydrogencarbonate analysis in intracellular or extracellular environments using europium luminescence. Chem Commun (Camb) (17): 1930-1.
- M.J. Cann, E. Chung & L.R. Levin 2000. A new family of adenylyl cyclase genes in the male germline of Drosophila melanogaster. Dev Genes Evol 210(4): 200-6.
- M.J. Cann & L.R. Levin 2000. Restricted expression of a truncated adenylyl cyclase in the cephalic furrow of Drosophila melanogaster. Dev Genes Evol 210(1): 34-40.
- Chen, Y., Cann, M.J., Litvin, T.N., Iourgenko, V., Sinclair, M.L., Levin, L.R. & Buck, J. 2000. Soluble adenylyl cyclase as an evolutionarily conserved bicarbonate sensor. Science 289(625-628).
- Buck, J., Sinclair, M.L., Schapal, L. Cann, M.J. & Levin, L.R. 1999. Cytosolic adenylyl cyclase defines a unique signaling molecule in mammals. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci 96(79-84).
- M.J. Cann & L.R. Levin 1998. Genetic characterization of adenylyl cyclase function. Adv Second Messenger Phosphoprotein Res 32: 121-35.
- V. Iourgenko, B. Kliot, M.J. Cann & L.R. Levin 1997. Cloning and characterization of a Drosophila adenylyl cyclase homologous to mammalian type IX. FEBS Lett 413(1): 104-8.