Neuronal calcium sensor 1 (NCS-1)

Neuronal calcium sensor 1 is a Ca^2+-binding protein of the EF-hand family that functions primarily as a high-affinity calcium sensor within neurons, rather than as a calcium buffer[5][6]. NCS-1 is encoded by the FREQ gene in humans and is highly expressed in the central nervous system and retina[2][5]. It binds calcium (and, under physiological conditions, magnesium and zinc ions), and undergoes conformational rearrangement to transduce calcium signals into diverse cellular processes[2][3]. NCS-1 regulates synaptic transmission, learning, memory, and neuronal development, and also modulates the surface expression and internalization of certain G protein-coupled receptors such as the dopamine D2 receptor[1][5][6]. Further, it interacts with multiple neuronal proteins, including GRK1/GRK2, and various ion channels, acting as a protein scaffold and regulator of phosphorylation in a calcium-dependent manner[1][7]. NCS-1 has roles in neurodevelopmental disorders, neurodegenerative conditions, and possibly cardiac function, but is not currently a direct drug target or established biomarker in clinical practice[4][5][6]. If you require specific database identifiers or further biochemical details, those would need to be cross-referenced from resources such as UniProt or the Human Protein Atlas[7].

Other names

Frequenin homolog (Drosophila)freqFREQNCS1

Allosteric regulation/modulation of interacting proteins (e.g., D2 dopamine receptor, GRK1/GRK2, voltage-gated channels)[1][2][5] Scaffold for protein interaction, aiding in substrate phosphorylation[1][2] Modulation of signal transduction in a calcium-dependent manner