scholarly journals Thermophoretic analysis of ligand-specific conformational states of the inhibitory glycine receptor embedded in copolymer nanodiscs

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Max Bernhard ◽  
Bodo Laube
Keyword(s):  
Ligand Binding ◽  
Partial Agonist ◽  
Glycine Receptor ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Receptor Activation ◽  
Cell System ◽  
Activation Mechanism ◽  
Hek293 Cells ◽  
Dimensional Structure ◽  
Conformational States

Abstract The glycine receptor (GlyR), a member of the pentameric ligand-gated ion channel family (pLGIC), displays remarkable variations in the affinity and efficacy of the full agonist glycine and the partial agonist taurine depending on the cell system used. Despite detailed insights in the GlyR three-dimensional structure and activation mechanism, little is known about conformational rearrangements induced by these agonists. Here, we characterized the conformational states of the α1 GlyR upon binding of glycine and taurine by microscale thermophoresis expressed in HEK293 cells and Xenopus oocytes after solubilization in amphipathic styrene-maleic acid copolymer nanodiscs. Our results show that glycine and taurine induce different conformational transitions of the GlyR upon ligand binding. In contrast, the variability of agonist affinity is not mediated by an altered conformational change. Thus, our data shed light on specific agonist induced conformational features and mechanisms of pLGIC upon ligand binding determining receptor activation in native environments.

scholarly journals Nucleic acid ligands act as a PAM and agonist depending on the intrinsic ligand binding state of P2RY2

2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (18) ◽  
pp. e2019497118
Author(s):  
Masaki Takahashi ◽  
Ryo Amano ◽  
Michiru Ozawa ◽  
Anna Martinez ◽  
Kazumasa Akita ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nucleic Acid ◽  
Ligand Binding ◽  
Purinergic Receptor ◽  
Partial Agonist ◽  
Receptor Activation ◽  
Activation Mechanism ◽  
Gpcr Activation ◽  
Virus Like Particle ◽  
A Cell ◽  
Biochemical Analyses

G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs) play diverse roles in physiological processes, and hence the ligands to modulate GPCRs have served as important molecules in biological and pharmacological approaches. However, the exploration of novel ligands for GPCR still remains an arduous challenge. In this study, we report a method for the discovery of nucleic acid ligands against GPCRs by an advanced RNA aptamer screening technology that employs a virus-like particle (VLP), exposing the GPCR of interest. An array of biochemical analyses coupled with a cell-based assay revealed that one of the aptamers raised against purinergic receptor P2Y2 (P2RY2), a GPCR, exhibits an activation potency to unliganded receptor and prohibits a further receptor activation by endogenous ligand, behaving like a partial agonist. However, the aptamer enhances the activity of intrinsic ligand-binding P2RY2, thereby acting as a positive allosteric modulator (PAM) to liganded receptor. Our findings demonstrate that the nucleic acid aptamer conditionally exerts PAM and agonist effects on GPCRs, depending on their intrinsic ligand binding state. These results indicate the validity of our VLP-based aptamer screening targeting GPCR and reemphasize the great potential of nucleic acid ligands for exploring the GPCR activation mechanism and therapeutic applications.

scholarly journals Computational Study of C-X-C Chemokine Receptor (CXCR)3 Binding with Its Natural Agonists Chemokine (C-X-C Motif) Ligand (CXCL)9, 10 and 11 and with Synthetic Antagonists: Insights of Receptor Activation towards Drug Design for Vitiligo

Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (19) ◽  
pp. 4413
Author(s):  
Giovanny Aguilera-Durán ◽  
Antonio Romo-Mancillas
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Dynamics ◽  
Computational Study ◽  
Md Simulations ◽  
Receptor Activation ◽  
Activation Mechanism ◽  
Coarse Grained ◽  
Dimensional Structure ◽  
Cytotoxic Lymphocytes ◽  
Ligand Interaction ◽  
Α Subunit

Vitiligo is a hypopigmentary skin pathology resulting from the death of melanocytes due to the activity of CD8+ cytotoxic lymphocytes and overexpression of chemokines. These include CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11 and its receptor CXCR3, both in peripheral cells of the immune system and in the skin of patients diagnosed with vitiligo. The three-dimensional structure of CXCR3 and CXCL9 has not been reported experimentally; thus, homology modeling and molecular dynamics could be useful for the study of this chemotaxis-promoter axis. In this work, a homology model of CXCR3 and CXCL9 and the structure of the CXCR3/Gαi/0βγ complex with post-translational modifications of CXCR3 are reported for the study of the interaction of chemokines with CXCR3 through all-atom (AA-MD) and coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CG-MD) simulations. AA-MD and CG-MD simulations showed the first activation step of the CXCR3 receptor with all chemokines and the second activation step in the CXCR3-CXCL10 complex through a decrease in the distance between the chemokine and the transmembrane region of CXCR3 and the separation of the βγ complex from the α subunit in the G-protein. Additionally, a general protein–ligand interaction model was calculated, based on known antagonists binding to CXCR3. These results contribute to understanding the activation mechanism of CXCR3 and the design of new molecules that inhibit chemokine binding or antagonize the receptor, provoking a decrease of chemotaxis caused by the CXCR3/chemokines axis.

Structural aspects of agonism and antagonism in the oestrogen receptor

2000 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 396-400 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. C. W. Pike ◽  
A. M. Brzozowski ◽  
J. Walton ◽  
R. E. Hubbard ◽  
T. Bonn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ligand Binding ◽  
Oestrogen Receptor ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Receptor Activation ◽  
Structural Basis ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Antagonist Action ◽  
Receptor Agonists And Antagonists ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Structural Aspects

We have determined the three-dimensional structures of both α- and β-forms of the ligand-binding domain of the oestrogen receptor (ER) in complexes with a range of receptor agonists and antagonists. Here, we summarize how these structures provide both an understanding of the ER's distinctive pharmacophore and a rationale for its ability to bind a diverse range of chemically distinct compounds. In addition, these studies provide a unique insight into the mechanisms that underlie receptor activation, as well as providing a structural basis for the antagonist action of molecules, such as raloxifene.

scholarly journals Two clusters of surface-exposed amino acid residues enable high-affinity binding of retinal degeneration-3 (RD3) protein to retinal guanylyl cyclase

2020 ◽  
Vol 295 (31) ◽  
pp. 10781-10793 ◽  
Author(s):  
Igor V. Peshenko ◽  
Alexander M. Dizhoor
Keyword(s):  
Retinal Degeneration ◽  
Guanylyl Cyclase ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Hek293 Cells ◽  
Dimensional Structure ◽  
Amino Acid Residues ◽  
Retinal Guanylyl Cyclase ◽  
Functional Interface

Retinal degeneration-3 (RD3) protein protects photoreceptors from degeneration by preventing retinal guanylyl cyclase (RetGC) activation via calcium-sensing guanylyl cyclase–activating proteins (GCAP), and RD3 truncation causes severe congenital blindness in humans and other animals. The three-dimensional structure of RD3 has recently been established, but the molecular mechanisms of its inhibitory binding to RetGC remain unclear. Here, we report the results of probing 133 surface-exposed residues in RD3 by single substitutions and deletions to identify side chains that are critical for the inhibitory binding of RD3 to RetGC. We tested the effects of these substitutions and deletions in vitro by reconstituting purified RD3 variants with GCAP1-activated human RetGC1. Although the vast majority of the surface-exposed residues tolerated substitutions without loss of RD3's inhibitory activity, substitutions in two distinct narrow clusters located on the opposite sides of the molecule effectively suppressed RD3 binding to the cyclase. The first surface-exposed cluster included residues adjacent to Leu63 in the loop connecting helices 1 and 2. The second cluster surrounded Arg101 on a surface of helix 3. Single substitutions in those two clusters drastically, i.e. up to 245-fold, reduced the IC50 for the cyclase inhibition. Inactivation of the two binding sites completely disabled binding of RD3 to RetGC1 in living HEK293 cells. In contrast, deletion of 49 C-terminal residues did not affect the apparent affinity of RD3 for RetGC. Our findings identify the functional interface on RD3 required for its inhibitory binding to RetGC, a process essential for protecting photoreceptors from degeneration.

scholarly journals Mechanistic basis for the activation of plant membrane receptor kinases by SERK-family coreceptors

2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (13) ◽  
pp. 3488-3493 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulrich Hohmann ◽  
Julia Santiago ◽  
Joël Nicolet ◽  
Vilde Olsson ◽  
Fabio M. Spiga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ligand Binding ◽  
Specific Binding ◽  
Peptide Hormone ◽  
Receptor Activation ◽  
Kinase Domain ◽  
Membrane Receptor ◽  
Activation Mechanism ◽  
In Planta ◽  
Affinity Ligand ◽  
Receptor Kinases

Plant-unique membrane receptor kinases with leucine-rich repeat ectodomains (LRR-RKs) can sense small molecule, peptide, and protein ligands. Many LRR-RKs require SERK-family coreceptor kinases for high-affinity ligand binding and receptor activation. How one coreceptor can contribute to the specific binding of distinct ligands and activation of different LRR-RKs is poorly understood. Here we quantitatively analyze the contribution of SERK3 to ligand binding and activation of the brassinosteroid receptor BRI1 and the peptide hormone receptor HAESA. We show that while the isolated receptors sense their respective ligands with drastically different binding affinities, the SERK3 ectodomain binds the ligand-associated receptors with very similar binding kinetics. We identify residues in the SERK3 N-terminal capping domain, which allow for selective steroid and peptide hormone recognition. In contrast, residues in the SERK3 LRR core form a second, constitutive receptor–coreceptor interface. Genetic analyses of protein chimera between BRI1 and SERK3 define that signaling-competent complexes are formed by receptor–coreceptor heteromerization in planta. A functional BRI1–HAESA chimera suggests that the receptor activation mechanism is conserved among different LRR-RKs, and that their signaling specificity is encoded in the kinase domain of the receptor. Our work pinpoints the relative contributions of receptor, ligand, and coreceptor to the formation and activation of SERK-dependent LRR-RK signaling complexes regulating plant growth and development.

Molecular cloning, sequence characteristics, and tissue expression analysis of glucagon receptor gene in Bama minipig

2020 ◽  
Vol 100 (3) ◽  
pp. 536-546
Author(s):  
Cuiping An ◽  
Kaiyi Zhang ◽  
Wenjuan Zhu ◽  
Yanzhen Bi ◽  
Tianwen Wu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ligand Binding ◽  
Receptor Gene ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Salt Bridge ◽  
Binding Pocket ◽  
Tissue Expression ◽  
Dimensional Structure ◽  
Glucagon Receptor ◽  
Tissue Expression Analysis ◽  
Glucose And Lipid Metabolism

Recent studies have shown that the glucagon receptor (GCGR) plays an important role in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Both pigs and humans exhibit significantly similar behaviors in their glucose and lipid metabolism. In this study, the obtained Bama minipig GCGR coding sequence was 1437 bp encoding 479 amino acids (AA), which demonstrated higher sequence homology with humans than other species. It showed the highest expression profile in the liver, followed by the lung and kidney. In addition, the three-dimensional structure analysis showed that the porcine GCGR protein also had a classic sevenfold transmembrane region and a stalk region at the N-terminus for ligand binding. The stalk region of GCGR possessed five AA variations. The ligand binding pocket of GCGR has one AA variation in the key region, none of which affected the glucagon binding verified by the crystal structure mutagenesis in humans. There was no variation found in the region of membrane anchoring, hydrophobic bond, salt bridge, and hydrogen bond. However, the Gly40Ser mutation in mice resulted in major diseases, meaning that pigs are more suitable for the evaluation of GCGR-related drugs than mice.

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