I was wondering why some of you have chosen wo work with GPCRs? I am asking because i am trying to decide between two research projects and would like some advice from people who already work on them...specifically my project would be on rhodopsin.

MariaK said:

I was wondering why some of you have chosen wo work with GPCRs? I am asking because i am trying to decide between two research projects and would like some advice from people who already work on them...specifically my project would be on rhodopsin.

GPCR(G protein Coupled Receptor) with 7 transmembrane domains, are one of the largest super family of proteins and a major class of targets for drug discovery. They play a remarkable role in a large number of physiological conditions of the body such as: smell, taste, vision, neurotransmission, hormone secretion, chemotaxis, exocytosis, embryogenesis, cell growth/ differentiation, viral infection and carcinogenesis.

You forgot to mention that GPCR's are the largest known gene family

In addition to all the mentioned biological processes that GPCRs mediate, they are very successful pharmaceutical targets. Depending on whom you talk to, GPCRs and their downstream signaling genes compose upto 40-50% of modern therapeutic targets!