Portrait of a myristoyl switch protein.

Myristoylated proteins transduce a diverse range of cellular signals. Recoverin is a myristoylated, calcium-binding protein in the retina that serves as a calcium sensor in vision. The recent elucidation of the structures of several forms of myristoylated and unmyristoylated recoverin provides insight into how calcium induces the binding of recoverin to membranes.