1
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Kermani AA. Applications of fluorescent protein tagging in structural studies of membrane proteins. FEBS J 2024; 291:2719-2732. [PMID: 37470714 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
Generating active, pure, and monodisperse protein remains a major bottleneck for structural studies using X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). The current methodology heavily relies on overexpressing the recombinant protein fused with a histidine tag in conventional expression systems and evaluating the quality and stability of purified protein using size exclusion chromatography (SEC). This requires a large amount of protein and can be highly laborious and time consuming. Therefore, this approach is not suitable for high-throughput screening and low-expressing macromolecules, particularly eukaryotic membrane proteins. Using fluorescent proteins fused to the target protein (applicable to both soluble and membrane proteins) enables rapid and efficient screening of expression level and monodispersity of tens of unpurified constructs using fluorescence-based size exclusion chromatography (FSEC). Moreover, FSEC proves valuable for screening multiple detergents to identify the most stabilizing agent in the case of membrane proteins. Additionally, FSEC can facilitate nanodisc reconstitution by determining the optimal ratio of membrane scaffold protein (MSP), lipids, and target protein. The distinct advantages offered by FSEC indicate that fluorescent proteins can serve as a viable alternative to commonly used affinity tags for both characterization and purification purposes. In this review, I will summarize the advantages of this technique using examples from my own work. It should be noted that this article is not intended to provide an exhaustive review of all available literature, but rather to offer representative examples of FSEC applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali A Kermani
- Department of Structural Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
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2
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Liu S, Anderson PJ, Rajagopal S, Lefkowitz RJ, Rockman HA. G Protein-Coupled Receptors: A Century of Research and Discovery. Circ Res 2024; 135:174-197. [PMID: 38900852 PMCID: PMC11192237 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.124.323067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
GPCRs (G protein-coupled receptors), also known as 7 transmembrane domain receptors, are the largest receptor family in the human genome, with ≈800 members. GPCRs regulate nearly every aspect of human physiology and disease, thus serving as important drug targets in cardiovascular disease. Sharing a conserved structure comprised of 7 transmembrane α-helices, GPCRs couple to heterotrimeric G-proteins, GPCR kinases, and β-arrestins, promoting downstream signaling through second messengers and other intracellular signaling pathways. GPCR drug development has led to important cardiovascular therapies, such as antagonists of β-adrenergic and angiotensin II receptors for heart failure and hypertension, and agonists of the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor for reducing adverse cardiovascular events and other emerging indications. There continues to be a major interest in GPCR drug development in cardiovascular and cardiometabolic disease, driven by advances in GPCR mechanistic studies and structure-based drug design. This review recounts the rich history of GPCR research, including the current state of clinically used GPCR drugs, and highlights newly discovered aspects of GPCR biology and promising directions for future investigation. As additional mechanisms for regulating GPCR signaling are uncovered, new strategies for targeting these ubiquitous receptors hold tremendous promise for the field of cardiovascular medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Liu
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical
Center
| | - Preston J. Anderson
- Cell and Molecular Biology (CMB), Duke University, Durham,
NC, 27710, USA
- Duke Medical Scientist Training Program, Duke University,
Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Sudarshan Rajagopal
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical
Center
- Cell and Molecular Biology (CMB), Duke University, Durham,
NC, 27710, USA
- Deparment of Biochemistry Duke University, Durham, NC,
27710, USA
| | - Robert J. Lefkowitz
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical
Center
- Deparment of Biochemistry Duke University, Durham, NC,
27710, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Duke University Medical
Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
| | - Howard A. Rockman
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical
Center
- Cell and Molecular Biology (CMB), Duke University, Durham,
NC, 27710, USA
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3
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Kaneko S, Imai S, Uchikubo-Kamo T, Hisano T, Asao N, Shirouzu M, Shimada I. Structural and dynamic insights into the activation of the μ-opioid receptor by an allosteric modulator. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3544. [PMID: 38740791 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47792-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play pivotal roles in various physiological processes. These receptors are activated to different extents by diverse orthosteric ligands and allosteric modulators. However, the mechanisms underlying these variations in signaling activity by allosteric modulators remain largely elusive. Here, we determine the three-dimensional structure of the μ-opioid receptor (MOR), a class A GPCR, in complex with the Gi protein and an allosteric modulator, BMS-986122, using cryogenic electron microscopy. Our results reveal that BMS-986122 binding induces changes in the map densities corresponding to R1673.50 and Y2545.58, key residues in the structural motifs conserved among class A GPCRs. Nuclear magnetic resonance analyses of MOR in the absence of the Gi protein reveal that BMS-986122 binding enhances the formation of the interaction between R1673.50 and Y2545.58, thus stabilizing the fully-activated conformation, where the intracellular half of TM6 is outward-shifted to allow for interaction with the Gi protein. These findings illuminate that allosteric modulators like BMS-986122 can potentiate receptor activation through alterations in the conformational dynamics in the core region of GPCRs. Together, our results demonstrate the regulatory mechanisms of GPCRs, providing insights into the rational development of therapeutics targeting GPCRs.
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MESH Headings
- Receptors, Opioid, mu/metabolism
- Receptors, Opioid, mu/chemistry
- Receptors, Opioid, mu/genetics
- Allosteric Regulation
- Humans
- Cryoelectron Microscopy
- Protein Binding
- GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gi-Go/metabolism
- GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gi-Go/chemistry
- GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gi-Go/genetics
- HEK293 Cells
- Ligands
- Models, Molecular
- Protein Conformation
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Affiliation(s)
- Shun Kaneko
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), RIKEN, Kanagawa, Japan
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shunsuke Imai
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), RIKEN, Kanagawa, Japan.
| | | | - Tamao Hisano
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), RIKEN, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Nobuaki Asao
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), RIKEN, Kanagawa, Japan
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mikako Shirouzu
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), RIKEN, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Ichio Shimada
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), RIKEN, Kanagawa, Japan.
- Graduate School of Integrated Science for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
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4
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Zhao J, Elgeti M, O'Brien ES, Sár CP, Ei Daibani A, Heng J, Sun X, White E, Che T, Hubbell WL, Kobilka BK, Chen C. Ligand efficacy modulates conformational dynamics of the µ-opioid receptor. Nature 2024; 629:474-480. [PMID: 38600384 PMCID: PMC11078757 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07295-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
The µ-opioid receptor (µOR) is an important target for pain management1 and molecular understanding of drug action on µOR will facilitate the development of better therapeutics. Here we show, using double electron-electron resonance and single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer, how ligand-specific conformational changes of µOR translate into a broad range of intrinsic efficacies at the transducer level. We identify several conformations of the cytoplasmic face of the receptor that interconvert on different timescales, including a pre-activated conformation that is capable of G-protein binding, and a fully activated conformation that markedly reduces GDP affinity within the ternary complex. Interaction of β-arrestin-1 with the μOR core binding site appears less specific and occurs with much lower affinity than binding of Gi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawei Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Matthias Elgeti
- Jules Stein Eye Institute and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Institute for Drug Discovery, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Evan S O'Brien
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Cecília P Sár
- Institute of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Amal Ei Daibani
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jie Heng
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoou Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Elizabeth White
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Tao Che
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Wayne L Hubbell
- Jules Stein Eye Institute and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Brian K Kobilka
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Chunlai Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
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5
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Casiraghi M, Wang H, Brennan P, Habrian C, Hubner H, Schmidt MF, Maul L, Pani B, Bahriz SM, Xu B, White E, Sunahara RK, Xiang YK, Lefkowitz RJ, Isacoff EY, Nucci N, Gmeiner P, Lerch M, Kobilka BK. Structure and dynamics determine G protein coupling specificity at a class A GPCR. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.28.587240. [PMID: 38586060 PMCID: PMC10996611 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.28.587240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) exhibit varying degrees of selectivity for different G protein isoforms. Despite the abundant structures of GPCR-G protein complexes, little is known about the mechanism of G protein coupling specificity. The β2-adrenergic receptor is an example of GPCR with high selectivity for Gαs, the stimulatory G protein for adenylyl cyclase, and much weaker for the Gαi family of G proteins inhibiting adenylyl cyclase. By developing a new Gαi-biased agonist (LM189), we provide structural and biophysical evidence supporting that distinct conformations at ICL2 and TM6 are required for coupling of the different G protein subtypes Gαs and Gαi. These results deepen our understanding of G protein specificity and bias and can accelerate the design of ligands that select for preferred signaling pathways.
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6
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Chen J, Gou Q, Chen X, Song Y, Zhang F, Pu X. Exploring biased activation characteristics by molecular dynamics simulation and machine learning for the μ-opioid receptor. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:10698-10710. [PMID: 38512140 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp05050e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Biased ligands selectively activating specific downstream signaling pathways (termed as biased activation) exhibit significant therapeutic potential. However, the conformational characteristics revealed are very limited for the biased activation, which is not conducive to biased drug development. Motivated by the issue, we combine extensive accelerated molecular dynamics simulations and an interpretable deep learning model to probe the biased activation features for two complex systems constructed by the inactive μOR and two different biased agonists (G-protein-biased agonist TRV130 and β-arrestin-biased agonist endomorphin2). The results indicate that TRV130 binds deeper into the receptor core compared to endomorphin2, located between W2936.48 and D1142.50, and forms hydrogen bonding with D1142.50, while endomorphin2 binds above W2936.48. The G protein-biased agonist induces greater outward movements of the TM6 intracellular end, forming a typical active conformation, while the β-arrestin-biased agonist leads to a smaller extent of outward movements of TM6. Compared with TRV130, endomorphin2 causes more pronounced inward movements of the TM7 intracellular end and more complex conformational changes of H8 and ICL1. In addition, important residues determining the two different biased activation states were further identified by using an interpretable deep learning classification model, including some common biased activation residues across Class A GPCRs like some key residues on the TM2 extracellular end, ECL2, TM5 intracellular end, TM6 intracellular end, and TM7 intracellular end, and some specific important residues of ICL3 for μOR. The observations will provide valuable information for understanding the biased activation mechanism for GPCRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianfang Chen
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China.
| | - Qiaoling Gou
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China.
| | - Xin Chen
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China.
| | - Yuanpeng Song
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China.
| | - Fuhui Zhang
- Graduate School, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Xuemei Pu
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China.
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7
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Imamura K, Akagi KI, Miyanoiri Y, Tsujimoto H, Hirokawa T, Ashida H, Murakami K, Inoue A, Suno R, Ikegami T, Sekiyama N, Iwata S, Kobayashi T, Tochio H. Interaction modes of human orexin 2 receptor with selective and nonselective antagonists studied by NMR spectroscopy. Structure 2024; 32:352-361.e5. [PMID: 38194963 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2023.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Orexin neuropeptides have many physiological roles in the sleep-wake cycle, feeding behavior, reward demands, and stress responses by activating cognitive receptors, the orexin receptors (OX1R and OX2R), distributed in the brain. There are only subtle differences between OX1R and OX2R in the orthosteric site, which has hindered the rational development of subtype-selective antagonists. In this study, we utilized solution-state NMR to capture the structural plasticity of OX2R labeled with 13CH3-ε-methionine in complex with antagonists. Mutations in the orthosteric site allosterically affected the intracellular tip of TM6. Ligand exchange experiments with the subtype-selective EMPA and the nonselective suvorexant identified three methionine residues that were substantially perturbed. The NMR spectra suggested that the suvorexant-bound state exhibited more structural plasticity than the EMPA-bound state, which has not been foreseen from the close similarity of their crystal structures, providing insights into dynamic features to be considered in understanding the ligand recognition mode.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayo Imamura
- Department of Biophysics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Ken-Ichi Akagi
- Section of Laboratory Equipment, National Institute of Biomedical Innovation, Health, and Nutrition, Osaka 567-0085, Japan
| | - Yohei Miyanoiri
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, 3-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Hirokazu Tsujimoto
- Department of Cell Biology and Medical Chemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Takatsugu Hirokawa
- Division of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8575, Japan; Transborder Medical Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8575, Japan
| | - Hideo Ashida
- Department of Biophysics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Kaori Murakami
- Department of Biophysics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Asuka Inoue
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8578, Japan
| | - Ryoji Suno
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata 573-1010, Japan
| | - Takahisa Ikegami
- Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, 1-7-29 Suehiro, Yokohama, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan
| | - Naotaka Sekiyama
- Department of Biophysics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - So Iwata
- Department of Cell Biology and Medical Chemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Takuya Kobayashi
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata 573-1010, Japan
| | - Hidehito Tochio
- Department of Biophysics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan.
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8
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Asadollahi K, Rajput S, de Zhang LA, Ang CS, Nie S, Williamson NA, Griffin MDW, Bathgate RAD, Scott DJ, Weikl TR, Jameson GNL, Gooley PR. Unravelling the mechanism of neurotensin recognition by neurotensin receptor 1. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8155. [PMID: 38071229 PMCID: PMC10710507 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44010-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The conformational ensembles of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) include inactive and active states. Spectroscopy techniques, including NMR, show that agonists, antagonists and other ligands shift the ensemble toward specific states depending on the pharmacological efficacy of the ligand. How receptors recognize ligands and the kinetic mechanism underlying this population shift is poorly understood. Here, we investigate the kinetic mechanism of neurotensin recognition by neurotensin receptor 1 (NTS1) using 19F-NMR, hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry and stopped-flow fluorescence spectroscopy. Our results indicate slow-exchanging conformational heterogeneity on the extracellular surface of ligand-bound NTS1. Numerical analysis of the kinetic data of neurotensin binding to NTS1 shows that ligand recognition follows an induced-fit mechanism, in which conformational changes occur after neurotensin binding. This approach is applicable to other GPCRs to provide insight into the kinetic regulation of ligand recognition by GPCRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazem Asadollahi
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
- Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
- The Florey, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Sunnia Rajput
- Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Lazarus Andrew de Zhang
- The Florey, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Ching-Seng Ang
- Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Shuai Nie
- Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Nicholas A Williamson
- Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Michael D W Griffin
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
- Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Ross A D Bathgate
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
- The Florey, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Daniel J Scott
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
- The Florey, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Thomas R Weikl
- Department of Biomolecular Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Guy N L Jameson
- Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
- School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Paul R Gooley
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.
- Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.
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9
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Jin B, Thakur N, Wijesekara AV, Eddy MT. Illuminating GPCR signaling mechanisms by NMR spectroscopy with stable-isotope labeled receptors. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2023; 72:102364. [PMID: 37612173 PMCID: PMC11221349 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2023.102364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) exhibit remarkable structural plasticity, which underlies their capacity to recognize a wide range of extracellular molecules and interact with intracellular partner proteins. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is uniquely well-suited to investigate GPCR structural plasticity, enabled by stable-isotope "probes" incorporated into receptors that inform on structure and dynamics. Progress with stable-isotope labeling methods in Eukaryotic expression systems has enabled production of native or nearly-native human receptors with varied and complementary distributions of NMR probes. These advances have opened up new avenues for investigating the roles of conformational dynamics in signaling processes, including by mapping allosteric communication networks, understanding the specificity of GPCR interactions with partner proteins and exploring the impact of membrane environments on GPCR function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beining Jin
- Department of Chemistry; University of Florida; Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Naveen Thakur
- Department of Chemistry; University of Florida; Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | | | - Matthew T Eddy
- Department of Chemistry; University of Florida; Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.
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10
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de Lima MRP, Bezerra RFS, Serafim DDB, Sena Junior DM. Dynamics of the Apo µ-Opioid Receptor in Complex with Gi Protein. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13430. [PMID: 37686252 PMCID: PMC10487971 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Opioid receptors, particularly the µ-opioid receptor (μOR), play a pivotal role in mediating the analgesic and addictive effects of opioid drugs. G protein signaling is an important pathway of μOR function, usually associated with painkilling effects. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the interaction between the μOR and G protein remain poorly understood. In this study, we employed classical all-atom molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the structural changes occurring with the μOR-G protein complex under two different conditions: with the G protein in the apo form (open) and with the GDP bound G protein (closed, holo form). The receptor was in the apo form and active conformation in both cases, and the simulation time comprised 1µs for each system. In order to assess the effect of the G protein coupling on the receptor activation state, three parameters were monitored: the correlation of the distance between TM3 and TM6 and the RMSD of the NPxxYA motif; the universal activation index (A100); and the χ2 dihedral distribution of residue W2936.48. When complexed with the open G protein, receptor conformations with intermediate activation state prevailed throughout the molecular dynamics, whereas in the condition with the closed G protein, mostly inactive conformations of the receptor were observed. The major effect of the G protein in the receptor conformation comes from a steric hindrance involving an intracellular loop of the receptor and a β-sheet region of the G protein. This suggests that G-protein precoupling is essential for receptor activation, but this fact is not sufficient for complete receptor activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mira Raya Paula de Lima
- Biological Chemistry Department, Universidade Regional do Cariri—URCA, Crato 63105-000, CE, Brazil; (R.F.S.B.); (D.D.B.S.)
- Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Ceará—IFCE, Juazeiro do Norte 63040-540, CE, Brazil
| | - Rubem Francisco Silva Bezerra
- Biological Chemistry Department, Universidade Regional do Cariri—URCA, Crato 63105-000, CE, Brazil; (R.F.S.B.); (D.D.B.S.)
| | - David Denis Bento Serafim
- Biological Chemistry Department, Universidade Regional do Cariri—URCA, Crato 63105-000, CE, Brazil; (R.F.S.B.); (D.D.B.S.)
| | - Diniz Maciel Sena Junior
- Biological Chemistry Department, Universidade Regional do Cariri—URCA, Crato 63105-000, CE, Brazil; (R.F.S.B.); (D.D.B.S.)
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11
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Fouillen A, Bous J, Granier S, Mouillac B, Sounier R. Bringing GPCR Structural Biology to Medical Applications: Insights from Both V2 Vasopressin and Mu-Opioid Receptors. MEMBRANES 2023; 13:606. [PMID: 37367810 DOI: 10.3390/membranes13060606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are versatile signaling proteins that regulate key physiological processes in response to a wide variety of extracellular stimuli. The last decade has seen a revolution in the structural biology of clinically important GPCRs. Indeed, the improvement in molecular and biochemical methods to study GPCRs and their transducer complexes, together with advances in cryo-electron microscopy, NMR development, and progress in molecular dynamic simulations, have led to a better understanding of their regulation by ligands of different efficacy and bias. This has also renewed a great interest in GPCR drug discovery, such as finding biased ligands that can either promote or not promote specific regulations. In this review, we focus on two therapeutically relevant GPCR targets, the V2 vasopressin receptor (V2R) and the mu-opioid receptor (µOR), to shed light on the recent structural biology studies and show the impact of this integrative approach on the determination of new potential clinical effective compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélien Fouillen
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle (IGF), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, 34000 Montpellier, France
- Centre de Biochimie Structurale (CBS), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Julien Bous
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sébastien Granier
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle (IGF), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, 34000 Montpellier, France
| | - Bernard Mouillac
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle (IGF), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, 34000 Montpellier, France
| | - Remy Sounier
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle (IGF), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, 34000 Montpellier, France
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12
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Zhao J, Elgeti M, O’Brien ES, Sár CP, EI Daibani A, Heng J, Sun X, Che T, Hubbell WL, Kobilka BK, Chen C. Conformational dynamics of the μ-opioid receptor determine ligand intrinsic efficacy. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.28.538657. [PMID: 37163120 PMCID: PMC10168371 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.28.538657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The μ-opioid receptor (μOR) is an important target for pain management and the molecular understanding of drug action will facilitate the development of better therapeutics. Here we show, using double electron-electron resonance (DEER) and single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET), how ligand-specific conformational changes of the μOR translate into a broad range of intrinsic efficacies at the transducer level. We identify several cytoplasmic receptor conformations interconverting on different timescales, including a pre-activated receptor conformation which is capable of G protein binding, and a fully activated conformation which dramatically lowers GDP affinity within the ternary complex. Interaction of β-arrestin-1 with the μOR core binding site appears less specific and occurs with much lower affinity than binding of G protein Gi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawei Zhao
- Tsinghua-Peaking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University; Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Matthias Elgeti
- Jules Stein Eye Institute and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California; Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Evan S. O’Brien
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine; Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Cecília P. Sár
- Institute of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Pécs; Szigeti st. 12, H-7624 Pécs, Hungary
| | - Amal EI Daibani
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine; Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Jie Heng
- Tsinghua-Peaking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University; Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Xiaoou Sun
- Tsinghua-Peaking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University; Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Tao Che
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine; Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Wayne L. Hubbell
- Jules Stein Eye Institute and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California; Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Brian K. Kobilka
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine; Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Chunlai Chen
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University; Beijing, 100084, China
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13
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Biophysical investigations of class A GPCRs. Biochimie 2023; 205:86-94. [PMID: 36220484 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2022.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play a central role in cellular communication, converting external stimuli into intracellular responses. GPCRs bind a very broad panel of ligands, such as hormones, neurotransmitters, peptides and lipids. Ligand binding triggers a series of receptor conformational rearrangements, enabling the coupling to intracellular partners and the activation of signaling cascades. The major breakthrough in GPCRs structural biology of the past decade has considerably advanced our understanding of GPCR activation. However, structural information cannot fully explain the molecular details of GPCRs pharmacology. Biophysical investigations reveal that GPCRs are very dynamic proteins, capable of exploring a wide range of conformational states. Binding to ligands of various pharmacological classes, as well as intracellular effectors and allosteric modulators, can shift the equilibrium between these states and the kinetic of interconversions among the different conformers. Investigation of GPCR dynamic interplay is therefore important to better understand the complex pharmacology and signaling profile of these receptors.
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14
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Ligands selectively tune the local and global motions of neurotensin receptor 1 (NTS 1). Cell Rep 2023; 42:112015. [PMID: 36680775 PMCID: PMC9930568 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies have revealed that fast methyl sidechain dynamics can report on entropically-driven allostery. Yet, NMR applications have been largely limited to the super-microsecond motional regimes of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). We use 13Cε-methionine chemical shift-based global order parameters to test if ligands affect the fast dynamics of a thermostabilized GPCR, neurotensin receptor 1 (NTS1). We establish that the NTS1 solution ensemble includes substates with lifetimes on several, discrete timescales. The longest-lived states reflect those captured in agonist- and inverse agonist-bound crystal structures, separated by large energy barriers. We observe that the rapid fluctuations of individual methionine residues, superimposed on these long-lived states, respond collectively with the degree of fast, global dynamics correlating with ligand pharmacology. This approach lends confidence to interpreting spectra in terms of local structure and methyl dihedral angle geometry. The results suggest a role for sub-microsecond dynamics and conformational entropy in GPCR ligand discrimination.
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15
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Xu J, Wang Q, Hübner H, Hu Y, Niu X, Wang H, Maeda S, Inoue A, Tao Y, Gmeiner P, Du Y, Jin C, Kobilka BK. Structural and dynamic insights into supra-physiological activation and allosteric modulation of a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor. Nat Commun 2023; 14:376. [PMID: 36690613 PMCID: PMC9870890 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35726-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The M2 muscarinic receptor (M2R) is a prototypical G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that serves as a model system for understanding GPCR regulation by both orthosteric and allosteric ligands. Here, we investigate the mechanisms governing M2R signaling versatility using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and NMR spectroscopy, focusing on the physiological agonist acetylcholine and a supra-physiological agonist iperoxo, as well as a positive allosteric modulator LY2119620. These studies reveal that acetylcholine stabilizes a more heterogeneous M2R-G-protein complex than iperoxo, where two conformers with distinctive G-protein orientations were determined. We find that LY2119620 increases the affinity for both agonists, but differentially modulates agonists efficacy in G-protein and β-arrestin pathways. Structural and spectroscopic analysis suggest that LY211620 stabilizes distinct intracellular conformational ensembles from agonist-bound M2R, which may enhance β-arrestin recruitment while impairing G-protein activation. These results highlight the role of conformational dynamics in the complex signaling behavior of GPCRs, and could facilitate design of better drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Xu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
| | - Qinggong Wang
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of Life and Health Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, 518172, Shenzhen, China
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, 230027, Hefei, P. R. China
| | - Harald Hübner
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander University, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Yunfei Hu
- Beijing Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Center, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, 100084, Beijing, China
- Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, CAS, 430071, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaogang Niu
- Beijing Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Center, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, 100084, Beijing, China
| | - Haoqing Wang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Shoji Maeda
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, University of Michigan 1150 Medical Center Dr., 1315 Medical Science Research Bldg III, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Asuka Inoue
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8578, Japan
| | - Yuyong Tao
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, 230027, Hefei, P. R. China
| | - Peter Gmeiner
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander University, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Yang Du
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of Life and Health Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, 518172, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Changwen Jin
- Beijing Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Center, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, 100084, Beijing, China.
| | - Brian K Kobilka
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
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16
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Salas-Estrada L, Fiorillo B, Filizola M. Metadynamics simulations leveraged by statistical analyses and artificial intelligence-based tools to inform the discovery of G protein-coupled receptor ligands. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:1099715. [PMID: 36619585 PMCID: PMC9816996 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1099715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
G Protein-Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) are a large family of membrane proteins with pluridimensional signaling profiles. They undergo ligand-specific conformational changes, which in turn lead to the differential activation of intracellular signaling proteins and the consequent triggering of a variety of biological responses. This conformational plasticity directly impacts our understanding of GPCR signaling and therapeutic implications, as do ligand-specific kinetic differences in GPCR-induced transducer activation/coupling or GPCR-transducer complex stability. High-resolution experimental structures of ligand-bound GPCRs in the presence or absence of interacting transducers provide important, yet limited, insights into the highly dynamic process of ligand-induced activation or inhibition of these receptors. We and others have complemented these studies with computational strategies aimed at characterizing increasingly accurate metastable conformations of GPCRs using a combination of metadynamics simulations, state-of-the-art algorithms for statistical analyses of simulation data, and artificial intelligence-based tools. This minireview provides an overview of these approaches as well as lessons learned from them towards the identification of conformational states that may be difficult or even impossible to characterize experimentally and yet important to discover new GPCR ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Marta Filizola
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
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17
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Wu FJ, Rieder PS, Abiko LA, Rößler P, Gossert AD, Häussinger D, Grzesiek S. Nanobody GPS by PCS: An Efficient New NMR Analysis Method for G Protein Coupled Receptors and Other Large Proteins. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:21728-21740. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c09692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Feng-Jie Wu
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Pascal S. Rieder
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Philip Rößler
- Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - Daniel Häussinger
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
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18
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Evaluation of the Intracellular Signaling Activities of κ-Opioid Receptor Agonists, Nalfurafine Analogs; Focusing on the Selectivity of G-Protein- and β-Arrestin-Mediated Pathways. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27207065. [PMID: 36296658 PMCID: PMC9611050 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27207065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2022] [Revised: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Opioid receptors (ORs) are classified into three types (μ, δ, and κ), and opioid analgesics are mainly mediated by μOR activation; however, their use is sometimes restricted by unfavorable effects. The selective κOR agonist nalfurafine was initially developed as an analgesic, but its indication was changed because of the narrow safety margin. The activation of ORs mainly induces two intracellular signaling pathways: a G-protein-mediated pathway and a β-arrestin-mediated pathway. Recently, the expectations for κOR analgesics that selectively activate these pathways have increased; however, the structural properties required for the selectivity of nalfurafine are still unknown. Therefore, we evaluated the partial structures of nalfurafine that are necessary for the selectivity of these two pathways. We assayed the properties of nalfurafine and six nalfurafine analogs (SYKs) using cells stably expressing κORs. The SYKs activated κORs in a concentration-dependent manner with higher EC50 values than nalfurafine. Upon bias factor assessment, only SYK-309 (possessing the 3S-hydroxy group) showed higher selectivity of G-protein-mediated signaling activities than nalfurafine, suggesting the direction of the 3S-hydroxy group may affect the β-arrestin-mediated pathway. In conclusion, nalfurafine analogs having a 3S-hydroxy group, such as SYK-309, could be considered G-protein-biased κOR agonists.
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19
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Ye L, Wang X, McFarland A, Madsen JJ. 19F NMR: A promising tool for dynamic conformational studies of G protein-coupled receptors. Structure 2022; 30:1372-1384. [PMID: 36130592 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2022.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2021] [Revised: 07/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Advances in X-ray crystallography and cryoelectron microscopy enabled unprecedented insights into the activation processes of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). However, these static receptor structures provide limited information about dynamics and conformational transitions that play pivotal roles in mediating signaling diversity through the multifaceted interactions between ligands, receptors, and transducers. Developing NMR approaches to probe the dynamics of conformational transitions will push the frontier of receptor science toward a more comprehensive understanding of these signaling processes. Although much progress has been made during the last decades, it remains challenging to delineate receptor conformational states and interrogate the functions of the individual states at a quantitative level. Here we cover the progress of 19F NMR applications in GPCR conformational and dynamic studies during the past 20 years. Current challenges and limitations of 19F NMR for studying GPCR dynamics are also discussed, along with experimental strategies that will drive this field forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Libin Ye
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA; H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, 12902 USF Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
| | - Xudong Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Aidan McFarland
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Jesper J Madsen
- Global and Planetary Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
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20
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Abiko LA, Dias Teixeira R, Engilberge S, Grahl A, Mühlethaler T, Sharpe T, Grzesiek S. Filling of a water-free void explains the allosteric regulation of the β 1-adrenergic receptor by cholesterol. Nat Chem 2022; 14:1133-1141. [PMID: 35953642 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-022-01009-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Recent high-pressure NMR results indicate that the preactive conformation of the β1-adrenergic receptor (β1AR) harbours completely empty cavities of ~100 Å3 volume, which disappear in the active conformation of the receptor. Here we have localized these cavities using X-ray crystallography of xenon-derivatized β1AR crystals. One of the cavities is in direct contact with the cholesterol-binding pocket. Solution NMR shows that addition of the cholesterol analogue cholesteryl hemisuccinate impedes the formation of the active conformation of detergent-solubilized β1AR by blocking conserved G protein-coupled receptor microswitches, concomitant with an affinity reduction of both isoprenaline and G protein-mimicking nanobody Nb80 for β1AR detected by isothermal titration calorimetry. This wedge-like action explains the function of cholesterol as a negative allosteric modulator of β1AR. A detailed understanding of G protein-coupled receptor regulation by cholesterol by filling of a dry void and the easy scouting for such voids by xenon may provide new routes for the development of allosteric drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sylvain Engilberge
- Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, Switzerland.,European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble, France
| | - Anne Grahl
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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21
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Zádor F, Király K, Essmat N, Al-Khrasani M. Recent Molecular Insights into Agonist-specific Binding to the Mu-Opioid Receptor. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:900547. [PMID: 35769909 PMCID: PMC9234319 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.900547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Opioid agonists produce their analgesic effects primarily by acting at the µ-opioid receptor (µOR). µOR agonists with different efficacies exert diverse molecular changes in the µOR which dictate the faith of the receptor’s signaling pathway and possibly it’s the degree of desensitization. Since the development of the active conformations of the µOR, growing data have been published in relation to ligand-specific changes in µOR activation. In this regard, this review summarizes recent data regarding the most studied opioid agonists in in silico µOR activation, including how these ligands are recognized by the µOR, how their binding signal is transmitted toward the intracellular parts of the µOR, and finally, what type of large-scale movements do these changes trigger in the µOR’s domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferenc Zádor
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- *Correspondence: Ferenc Zádor,
| | - Kornél Király
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Nariman Essmat
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Mahmoud Al-Khrasani
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
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22
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Novel Opioid Analgesics for the Development of Transdermal Opioid Patches That Possess Morphine-Like Pharmacological Profiles Rather Than Fentanyl: Possible Opioid Switching Alternatives Among Patch Formula. Anesth Analg 2022; 134:1082-1093. [PMID: 35427270 PMCID: PMC8986634 DOI: 10.1213/ane.0000000000005954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Transdermal fentanyl is widely used in the treatment of severe pain because of convenience, safety, and stable blood concentrations. Nevertheless, patients often develop tolerance to fentanyl, necessitating the use of other opioids; transdermal buprenorphine patch is widely used as an analgesic agent, though available formulation does not provide comparable analgesic effect as transdermal fentanyl patch. Opioids bind to the opioid receptor (OR) to activate both G protein–mediated and β-arrestin–mediated pathways. We synthesized morphine-related compounds with high transdermal absorbability (N1 and N2) and evaluated their OR activities pharmacologically in comparison with fentanyl and morphine.
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23
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G Protein-coupled Receptor (GPCR) Reconstitution and Labeling for Solution Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Studies of the Structural Basis of Transmembrane Signaling. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27092658. [PMID: 35566006 PMCID: PMC9101874 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27092658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are a large membrane protein family found in higher organisms, including the human body. GPCRs mediate cellular responses to diverse extracellular stimuli and thus control key physiological functions, which makes them important targets for drug design. Signaling by GPCRs is related to the structure and dynamics of these proteins, which are modulated by extrinsic ligands as well as by intracellular binding partners such as G proteins and arrestins. Here, we review some basics of using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy in solution for the characterization of GPCR conformations and intermolecular interactions that relate to transmembrane signaling.
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24
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Abstract
SignificanceThe allosteric modulators, which bind to nonorthosteric sites to enhance the signaling activities of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), are new candidates for GPCR-targeting drugs. Our solution NMR analyses of the μ-opioid receptor (MOR) revealed that the MOR activity was determined by a conformational equilibrium between three conformations. Interestingly, an allosteric modulator shifted the equilibrium toward a conformation with the highest activity to a level that cannot be reached by orthosteric ligands alone, leading to the increased activity of MOR. Our NMR analyses also identified the binding site of the allosteric modulator, including the residues contributing to the regulation of the equilibrium. These findings provide insights into the rational developments of novel allosteric modulators.
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25
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Li ZL, Mattos C, Buck M. Computational studies of the principle of dynamic-change-driven protein interactions. Structure 2022; 30:909-916.e2. [DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2022.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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26
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Huang SK, Prosser RS. Dynamics and Mechanistic Underpinnings to Pharmacology of Class A GPCRs - An NMR Perspective. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2022; 322:C739-C753. [PMID: 35235425 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00044.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
One-third of current pharmaceuticals target G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), the largest receptor superfamily in humans and mediators of diverse physiological processes. This review summarizes the recent progress in GPCR structural dynamics, focusing on class A receptors and insights derived from nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and other spectroscopic techniques. We describe the structural aspects of GPCR activation and the various pharmacological models that capture aspects of receptor signaling behaviour. Spectroscopic studies revealed that receptors and their signaling complexes are dynamic allosteric systems that sample multiple functional states under basal conditions. The distribution of states within the conformational ensemble and the kinetics of transitions between states are regulated through the binding of ligands, allosteric modulators, and the membrane environment. This ensemble view of GPCRs provides a mechanistic framework for understanding many of the pharmacological phenomena associated with receptor signaling, such as basal activity, efficacy, and functional bias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuya Kate Huang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Chemical and Physical Sciences, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - R Scott Prosser
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Chemical and Physical Sciences, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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27
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Structural basis of sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 activation and biased agonism. Nat Chem Biol 2021; 18:281-288. [PMID: 34937912 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-021-00930-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1PR1) is a master regulator of lymphocyte egress from the lymph node and an established drug target for multiple sclerosis (MS). Mechanistically, therapeutic S1PR1 modulators activate the receptor yet induce sustained internalization through a potent association with β-arrestin. However, a structural basis of biased agonism remains elusive. Here, we report the cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of Gi-bound S1PR1 in complex with S1P, fingolimod-phosphate (FTY720-P) and siponimod (BAF312). In combination with functional assays and molecular dynamics (MD) studies, we reveal that the β-arrestin-biased ligands direct a distinct activation path in S1PR1 through the extensive interplay between the PIF and the NPxxY motifs. Specifically, the intermediate flipping of W2696.48 and the retained interaction between F2656.44 and N3077.49 are the key features of the β-arrestin bias. We further identify ligand-receptor interactions accounting for the S1PR subtype specificity of BAF312. These structural insights provide a rational basis for designing novel signaling-biased S1PR modulators.
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28
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Katayama K, Suzuki K, Suno R, Kise R, Tsujimoto H, Iwata S, Inoue A, Kobayashi T, Kandori H. Vibrational spectroscopy analysis of ligand efficacy in human M 2 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (M 2R). Commun Biol 2021; 4:1321. [PMID: 34815515 PMCID: PMC8635417 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02836-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The intrinsic efficacy of ligand binding to G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) reflects the ability of the ligand to differentially activate its receptor to cause a physiological effect. Here we use attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy to examine the ligand-dependent conformational changes in the human M2 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (M2R). We show that different ligands affect conformational alteration appearing at the C=O stretch of amide-I band in M2R. Notably, ATR-FTIR signals strongly correlated with G-protein activation levels in cells. Together, we propose that amide-I band serves as an infrared probe to distinguish the ligand efficacy in M2R and paves the path to rationally design ligands with varied efficacy towards the target GPCR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kota Katayama
- Department of Life Science and Applied Chemistry, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8555, Japan.
- OptoBioTechnology Research Center, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8555, Japan.
- PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, 4-1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saitama, 332-0012, Japan.
| | - Kohei Suzuki
- Department of Life Science and Applied Chemistry, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8555, Japan
| | - Ryoji Suno
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata, 573-1010, Japan
| | - Ryoji Kise
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8578, Japan
| | - Hirokazu Tsujimoto
- Department of Cell Biology and Medical Chemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
| | - So Iwata
- Department of Cell Biology and Medical Chemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
| | - Asuka Inoue
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8578, Japan
| | - Takuya Kobayashi
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata, 573-1010, Japan
- Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (AMED-CREST), Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-0004, Japan
| | - Hideki Kandori
- Department of Life Science and Applied Chemistry, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8555, Japan.
- OptoBioTechnology Research Center, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8555, Japan.
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29
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Chen J, Liu J, Yuan Y, Chen X, Zhang F, Pu X. Molecular Mechanisms of Diverse Activation Stimulated by Different Biased Agonists for the β2-Adrenergic Receptor. J Chem Inf Model 2021; 62:5175-5192. [PMID: 34802238 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.1c01016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
β2AR is an important drug target protein involving many diseases. Biased drugs induce specific signaling and provide additional clinical utility to optimize β2AR-based therapies. However, the biased signaling mechanism has not been elucidated. Motivated by the issue, we chose four agonists with divergent bias (balanced agonist, G-protein-biased agonist, and β-arrestin-biased agonists) and utilized Gaussian accelerated molecular dynamics simulation coupled with a dynamic network to probe the molecular mechanisms of distinct biased activation induced by the structural differences between the four agonists. Our simulations reveal that the G-protein-biased agonist induces an open conformation with the outward shifts of TM6 and TM7 for the intracellular domain, which will be beneficial to couple G protein. In contrast, the β-arrestin-biased agonists regulate an occluded conformation with a slightly outward movement of TM6 and an inward shift of TM7, which should favor β-arrestin signaling. The balanced agonist does not induce an observable outward shift for TM6 but, along with a slight tilt for TM7, leads to an inactive-like conformation. In addition, our results reveal the first time that ICL3 presents specific conformations with different agonists. The G-protein-biased agonist drives ICL3 to open so that the G protein-binding pocket can be available, while the β-arrestin-biased agonists induce ICL3 to form a closed conformation with a stable local α-helix. MM/PBSA analysis further reveals that the hydroxyl groups in the resorcinol of the G-protein-biased agonist form strong interactions with Y5.38 and S5.42, thus preventing tilting of the TM5 extracellular end. The catechol of the balanced agonist and the β-arrestin-biased ones induces the rearrangement of two hydrophobic residues F6.52 and W6.48. However, different from the balanced agonist, the ethyl substituent of β-arrestin-biased agonists forms additional hydrophobic interactions with W6.48 and F6.51 after the rearrangement, which should contribute to the β-arrestin bias. The shortest pathway analysis further reveals that the three residues Y7.43, N7.45, and N7.49 are crucial for allosterically regulating G-protein-biased signaling, while the two residues W6.48 and F6.44 make an important contribution to regulate β-arrestin-biased signaling. For the balanced agonist NE, the allosteric regulation pathway simultaneously involves the residue associated with G-protein-biased signaling like S5.46 and the residues related to β-arrestin-biased signaling like W6.48 and F6.44, thus producing unbiased signaling. The observations could advance our understanding of the biased activation mechanism on class A GPCRs and provide a useful guideline for the design of biased drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianfang Chen
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Jiangting Liu
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Yuan Yuan
- College of Management, Southwest University for Nationalities, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Xin Chen
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Fuhui Zhang
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Xuemei Pu
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
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30
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Cong X, Maurel D, Déméné H, Vasiliauskaité-Brooks I, Hagelberger J, Peysson F, Saint-Paul J, Golebiowski J, Granier S, Sounier R. Molecular insights into the biased signaling mechanism of the μ-opioid receptor. Mol Cell 2021; 81:4165-4175.e6. [PMID: 34433090 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2021.07.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
GPCR functional selectivity opens new opportunities for the design of safer drugs. Ligands orchestrate GPCR signaling cascades by modulating the receptor conformational landscape. Our study provides insights into the dynamic mechanism enabling opioid ligands to preferentially activate the G protein over the β-arrestin pathways through the μ-opioid receptor (μOR). We combine functional assays in living cells, solution NMR spectroscopy, and enhanced-sampling molecular dynamic simulations to identify the specific μOR conformations induced by G protein-biased agonists. In particular, we describe the dynamic and allosteric communications between the ligand-binding pocket and the receptor intracellular domains, through conserved motifs in class A GPCRs. Most strikingly, the biased agonists trigger μOR conformational changes in the intracellular loop 1 and helix 8 domains, which may impair β-arrestin binding or signaling. The findings may apply to other GPCR families and provide key molecular information that could facilitate the design of biased ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojing Cong
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, CNRS UMR-5203 INSERM U1191, University of Montpellier, 34000 Montpellier, France
| | - Damien Maurel
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, CNRS UMR-5203 INSERM U1191, University of Montpellier, 34000 Montpellier, France
| | - Hélène Déméné
- Centre de Biochimie Structurale, CNRS UMR 5048-INSERM 1054, University of Montpellier, 29 rue de Navacelles, 34090 Montpellier Cedex, France
| | - Ieva Vasiliauskaité-Brooks
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, CNRS UMR-5203 INSERM U1191, University of Montpellier, 34000 Montpellier, France
| | - Joanna Hagelberger
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, CNRS UMR-5203 INSERM U1191, University of Montpellier, 34000 Montpellier, France
| | - Fanny Peysson
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, CNRS UMR-5203 INSERM U1191, University of Montpellier, 34000 Montpellier, France
| | - Julie Saint-Paul
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, CNRS UMR-5203 INSERM U1191, University of Montpellier, 34000 Montpellier, France
| | - Jérôme Golebiowski
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Institute of Chemistry of Nice UMR7272, 06108 Nice, France; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu 711-873, South Korea
| | - Sébastien Granier
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, CNRS UMR-5203 INSERM U1191, University of Montpellier, 34000 Montpellier, France.
| | - Rémy Sounier
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, CNRS UMR-5203 INSERM U1191, University of Montpellier, 34000 Montpellier, France.
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31
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Function-Related Dynamics in Multi-Spanning Helical Membrane Proteins Revealed by Solution NMR. MEMBRANES 2021; 11:membranes11080604. [PMID: 34436367 PMCID: PMC8398610 DOI: 10.3390/membranes11080604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
A primary biological function of multi-spanning membrane proteins is to transfer information and/or materials through a membrane by changing their conformations. Therefore, particular dynamics of the membrane proteins are tightly associated with their function. The semi-atomic resolution dynamics information revealed by NMR is able to discriminate function-related dynamics from random fluctuations. This review will discuss several studies in which quantitative dynamics information by solution NMR has contributed to revealing the structural basis of the function of multi-spanning membrane proteins, such as ion channels, GPCRs, and transporters.
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32
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The G protein-first activation mechanism of opioid receptors by Gi protein and agonists. QRB DISCOVERY 2021. [PMID: 37529677 PMCID: PMC10392629 DOI: 10.1017/qrd.2021.7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
AbstractWe report the G protein-first mechanism for activation of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) for the three closest subtypes of the opioid receptors (OR), μOR, κOR and δOR. We find that they couple to the inactive Gi protein-bound guanosine diphosphate (GDP) prior to agonist binding. The inactive Gi protein forms anchors to the intracellular loops of the inactive apo-μOR, apo-κOR and apo-δOR, inducing opening of the cytoplasmic region to form a pre-activated state that holds Gi protein in place until agonist binds. Then, agonist binds to μOR, κOR and δOR already complexed with Gi protein, to trigger the Gαi to open up the tightly coupled GDP binding site, making GDP accessible for GTP exchange, an essential step for Gi signalling. We show that the agonist alone cannot open the intracellular region of μOR and κOR, requiring Gi protein to open the cytoplasmic region by itself. We consider that this G protein-first mechanism may apply to activation of other Class A GPCRs. However, for δOR, agonist binding can open up the intracellular region to encourage Gi protein recruitment. Thus, activation of Gi protein mediated by δOR favourably may proceed with either ligand-first or G protein-first activation mechanisms.
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33
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Xi J, Yang N, Perez-Aguilar JM, Selling B, Grothusen JR, Lamichhane R, Saven JG, Liu R. Novel variants of engineered water soluble mu opioid receptors with extensive mutations and removal of cysteines. Proteins 2021; 89:1386-1393. [PMID: 34152652 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
We have shown that water-soluble variants of the human mu opioid receptor (wsMOR) containing a reduced number of hydrophobic residues at the lipid-facing residues of the transmembrane (TM) helices can be expressed in E. coli. In this study, we tested the consequences of increasing the number of mutations on the surface of the transmembrane domain on the receptor's aqueous solubility and ligand binding properties, along with mutation of 11 cysteine residues regardless of their solvent exposure value and location in the protein. We computationally engineered 10 different variants of MOR, and tested four of them for expression in E. coli. We found that all four variants were successfully expressed and could be purified in high quantities. The variants have alpha helical structural content similar to that of the native MOR, and they also display binding affinities for the MOR antagonist (naltrexone) similar to the wsMOR variants we engineered previously that contained many fewer mutations. Furthermore, for these full-length variants, the helical content remains unchanged over a wide range of pH values (pH 6 ~ 9). This study demonstrates the flexibility and robustness of the water-soluble MOR variants with respect to additional designed mutations in the TM domain and changes in pH, whereupon the protein's structural integrity and its ligand binding affinity are maintained. These variants of the full-length MOR with less hydrophobic surface residues and less cysteines can be obtained in large amounts from expression in E. coli and can serve as novel tools to investigate structure-function relationships of the receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Xi
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Nanmu Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jose Manuel Perez-Aguilar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania School of Art and Science, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.,School of Chemical Science, Meritorious Autonomous University of Puebla (BUAP), Puebla, Mexico
| | - Bernard Selling
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - John R Grothusen
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Rajan Lamichhane
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jeffery G Saven
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania School of Art and Science, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Renyu Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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34
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Dubey A, Stoyanov N, Viennet T, Chhabra S, Elter S, Borggräfe J, Viegas A, Nowak RP, Burdzhiev N, Petrov O, Fischer ES, Etzkorn M, Gelev V, Arthanari H. Lokale Deuterierung ermöglicht NMR‐Messung von Methylgruppen in Proteinen aus eukaryotischen und Zell‐freien Expressionssystemen. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202016070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Abhinav Dubey
- Cancer Biology Dana-Farber Cancer Institute 450 Brookline Avenue LC-3311 Boston MA 02215 USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology Harvard Medical School 240 Longwood Avenue Boston MA 02215 USA
| | - Nikolay Stoyanov
- Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy Sofia University 1 James Bourchier Blvd. 1164 Sofia Bulgarien
| | - Thibault Viennet
- Institute of Physical Biology Heinrich-Heine-University Universitätsstr. 1 40225 Düsseldorf Deutschland
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7) Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH 52425 Jülich Deutschland
- JuStruct: Jülich Center for Structural Biology Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH 52425 Jülich Deutschland
| | - Sandeep Chhabra
- Cancer Biology Dana-Farber Cancer Institute 450 Brookline Avenue LC-3311 Boston MA 02215 USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology Harvard Medical School 240 Longwood Avenue Boston MA 02215 USA
| | - Shantha Elter
- Institute of Physical Biology Heinrich-Heine-University Universitätsstr. 1 40225 Düsseldorf Deutschland
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7) Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH 52425 Jülich Deutschland
- JuStruct: Jülich Center for Structural Biology Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH 52425 Jülich Deutschland
| | - Jan Borggräfe
- Institute of Physical Biology Heinrich-Heine-University Universitätsstr. 1 40225 Düsseldorf Deutschland
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7) Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH 52425 Jülich Deutschland
- JuStruct: Jülich Center for Structural Biology Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH 52425 Jülich Deutschland
| | - Aldino Viegas
- Institute of Physical Biology Heinrich-Heine-University Universitätsstr. 1 40225 Düsseldorf Deutschland
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7) Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH 52425 Jülich Deutschland
- JuStruct: Jülich Center for Structural Biology Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH 52425 Jülich Deutschland
| | - Radosław P. Nowak
- Cancer Biology Dana-Farber Cancer Institute 450 Brookline Avenue LC-3311 Boston MA 02215 USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology Harvard Medical School 240 Longwood Avenue Boston MA 02215 USA
| | - Nikola Burdzhiev
- Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy Sofia University 1 James Bourchier Blvd. 1164 Sofia Bulgarien
| | - Ognyan Petrov
- Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy Sofia University 1 James Bourchier Blvd. 1164 Sofia Bulgarien
| | - Eric S. Fischer
- Cancer Biology Dana-Farber Cancer Institute 450 Brookline Avenue LC-3311 Boston MA 02215 USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology Harvard Medical School 240 Longwood Avenue Boston MA 02215 USA
| | - Manuel Etzkorn
- Institute of Physical Biology Heinrich-Heine-University Universitätsstr. 1 40225 Düsseldorf Deutschland
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7) Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH 52425 Jülich Deutschland
- JuStruct: Jülich Center for Structural Biology Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH 52425 Jülich Deutschland
| | - Vladimir Gelev
- Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy Sofia University 1 James Bourchier Blvd. 1164 Sofia Bulgarien
| | - Haribabu Arthanari
- Cancer Biology Dana-Farber Cancer Institute 450 Brookline Avenue LC-3311 Boston MA 02215 USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology Harvard Medical School 240 Longwood Avenue Boston MA 02215 USA
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35
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Dubey A, Stoyanov N, Viennet T, Chhabra S, Elter S, Borggräfe J, Viegas A, Nowak RP, Burdzhiev N, Petrov O, Fischer ES, Etzkorn M, Gelev V, Arthanari H. Local Deuteration Enables NMR Observation of Methyl Groups in Proteins from Eukaryotic and Cell-Free Expression Systems. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:13783-13787. [PMID: 33768661 PMCID: PMC8251921 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202016070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Therapeutically relevant proteins such as GPCRs, antibodies and kinases face clear limitations in NMR studies due to the challenges in site-specific isotope labeling and deuteration in eukaryotic expression systems. Here we describe an efficient and simple method to observe the methyl groups of leucine residues in proteins expressed in bacterial, eukaryotic or cell-free expression systems without modification of the expression protocol. The method relies on simple stereo-selective 13 C-labeling and deuteration of leucine that alleviates the need for additional deuteration of the protein. The spectroscopic benefits of "local" deuteration are examined in detail through Forbidden Coherence Transfer (FCT) experiments and simulations. The utility of this labeling method is demonstrated in the cell-free synthesis of bacteriorhodopsin and in the insect-cell expression of the RRM2 domain of human RBM39.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhinav Dubey
- Cancer BiologyDana-Farber Cancer Institute450 Brookline Avenue LC-3311BostonMA02215USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular PharmacologyHarvard Medical School240 Longwood AvenueBostonMA02215USA
| | - Nikolay Stoyanov
- Faculty of Chemistry and PharmacySofia University1 James Bourchier Blvd.1164SofiaBulgaria
| | - Thibault Viennet
- Institute of Physical BiologyHeinrich-Heine-UniversityUniversitätsstr. 140225DüsseldorfGermany
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7)Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH52425JülichGermany
- JuStruct: Jülich Center for Structural BiologyForschungszentrum Jülich GmbH52425JülichGermany
| | - Sandeep Chhabra
- Cancer BiologyDana-Farber Cancer Institute450 Brookline Avenue LC-3311BostonMA02215USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular PharmacologyHarvard Medical School240 Longwood AvenueBostonMA02215USA
| | - Shantha Elter
- Institute of Physical BiologyHeinrich-Heine-UniversityUniversitätsstr. 140225DüsseldorfGermany
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7)Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH52425JülichGermany
- JuStruct: Jülich Center for Structural BiologyForschungszentrum Jülich GmbH52425JülichGermany
| | - Jan Borggräfe
- Institute of Physical BiologyHeinrich-Heine-UniversityUniversitätsstr. 140225DüsseldorfGermany
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7)Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH52425JülichGermany
- JuStruct: Jülich Center for Structural BiologyForschungszentrum Jülich GmbH52425JülichGermany
| | - Aldino Viegas
- Institute of Physical BiologyHeinrich-Heine-UniversityUniversitätsstr. 140225DüsseldorfGermany
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7)Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH52425JülichGermany
- JuStruct: Jülich Center for Structural BiologyForschungszentrum Jülich GmbH52425JülichGermany
| | - Radosław P. Nowak
- Cancer BiologyDana-Farber Cancer Institute450 Brookline Avenue LC-3311BostonMA02215USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular PharmacologyHarvard Medical School240 Longwood AvenueBostonMA02215USA
| | - Nikola Burdzhiev
- Faculty of Chemistry and PharmacySofia University1 James Bourchier Blvd.1164SofiaBulgaria
| | - Ognyan Petrov
- Faculty of Chemistry and PharmacySofia University1 James Bourchier Blvd.1164SofiaBulgaria
| | - Eric S. Fischer
- Cancer BiologyDana-Farber Cancer Institute450 Brookline Avenue LC-3311BostonMA02215USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular PharmacologyHarvard Medical School240 Longwood AvenueBostonMA02215USA
| | - Manuel Etzkorn
- Institute of Physical BiologyHeinrich-Heine-UniversityUniversitätsstr. 140225DüsseldorfGermany
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7)Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH52425JülichGermany
- JuStruct: Jülich Center for Structural BiologyForschungszentrum Jülich GmbH52425JülichGermany
| | - Vladimir Gelev
- Faculty of Chemistry and PharmacySofia University1 James Bourchier Blvd.1164SofiaBulgaria
| | - Haribabu Arthanari
- Cancer BiologyDana-Farber Cancer Institute450 Brookline Avenue LC-3311BostonMA02215USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular PharmacologyHarvard Medical School240 Longwood AvenueBostonMA02215USA
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36
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Crilly SE, Ko W, Weinberg ZY, Puthenveedu MA. Conformational specificity of opioid receptors is determined by subcellular location irrespective of agonist. eLife 2021; 10:67478. [PMID: 34013886 PMCID: PMC8208814 DOI: 10.7554/elife.67478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevailing model for the variety in drug responses is that different drugs stabilize distinct active states of their G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) targets, allowing coupling to different effectors. However, whether the same ligand generates different GPCR active states based on the immediate environment of receptors is not known. Here we address this question using spatially resolved imaging of conformational biosensors that read out distinct active conformations of the δ-opioid receptor (DOR), a physiologically relevant GPCR localized to Golgi and the surface in neuronal cells. We have shown that Golgi and surface pools of DOR both inhibit cAMP, but engage distinct conformational biosensors in response to the same ligand in rat neuroendocrine cells. Further, DOR recruits arrestins on the surface but not on the Golgi. Our results suggest that the local environment determines the active states of receptors for any given drug, allowing GPCRs to couple to different effectors at different subcellular locations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie E Crilly
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States.,Department of Pharmacology University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Wooree Ko
- Department of Pharmacology University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Zara Y Weinberg
- Department of Pharmacology University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Manojkumar A Puthenveedu
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States.,Department of Pharmacology University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, United States
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37
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Hilger D. The role of structural dynamics in GPCR‐mediated signaling. FEBS J 2021; 288:2461-2489. [DOI: 10.1111/febs.15841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Hilger
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry Philipps‐University Marburg Germany
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38
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Bock A, Bermudez M. Allosteric coupling and biased agonism in G protein‐coupled receptors. FEBS J 2021; 288:2513-2528. [DOI: 10.1111/febs.15783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Bock
- Receptor Signaling Lab Max‐Delbrueck‐Center for Molecular Medicine Berlin Germany
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39
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Liao S, Tan K, Floyd C, Bong D, Pino MJ, Wu C. Probing biased activation of mu-opioid receptor by the biased agonist PZM21 using all atom molecular dynamics simulation. Life Sci 2021; 269:119026. [PMID: 33444617 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 12/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Morphine is a commonly used opioid drug to treat acute pain by binding to the mu-opioid receptor (MOR), but its effective analgesic efficacy via triggering of the heterotrimeric Gi protein pathway is accompanied by a series of adverse side effects via triggering of the β-arrestin pathway. Recently, PZM21, a recently developed MOR biased agonist, shows preferentially activating the G protein pathway over β-arrestin pathway. However, there is no high-resolution receptor structure in complex with PZM21 and its action mechanism remains elusive. In this study, PZM21 and Morphine were docked to the active human MOR-1 homology structure and then subjected to the molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in two different situations (i.e., one situation includes the crystal waters but another does not). Detailed comparisons between the two systems were made to characterize the differences in protein-ligand interactions, protein secondary and tertiary structures and dynamics networks. PZM21 could strongly interact with Y3287.43 of TM7, besides the residues (Asp1493.32 and Tyr1503.33) of TM3. The two systems' network paths to the intracellular end of TM6 were roughly similar but the paths to the end of TM7 were different. The PZM21-bound MOR's intracellular ends of TM5-7 bent outward more along with the distance changes of the three key molecular switches (ionic lock, transmission and Tyr toggle) and the distance increase of some conserved inter-helical residue pairs. The larger intracellular opening of the receptor could potentially facilitate G protein binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyan Liao
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China; College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA
| | - Kai Tan
- College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA; Department of Chemistry, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, China
| | - Cecilia Floyd
- College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA
| | - Daegun Bong
- College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA
| | - Michael James Pino
- College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA
| | - Chun Wu
- College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA.
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40
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Sena DM, Cong X, Giorgetti A. Ligand based conformational space studies of the μ-opioid receptor. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2020; 1865:129838. [PMID: 33373630 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2020.129838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) comprise a family of membrane proteins that can be activated by a variety of external factors. The μ-opioid receptor (MOR), a class A GPCR, is the main target of morphine. Recently, enhanced sampling molecular dynamics simulations of a constitutively active mutant of MOR in its apo form allowed us to capture the novel intermediate states of activation, as well as the active state. This prompted us to apply the same techniques to wild type MOR in complex with ligands, in order to explore their contributions to the receptor conformational changes in the activation process. METHODS MOR was modeled in complex with agonists (morphine, BU72), a partial agonist (naloxone benzoylhydrazone) and an antagonist (naloxone). Replica exchange with solute tempering (REST2) molecular dynamics simulations were carried out for all systems. Trajectory frames were clustered, and the activation state of each cluster was assessed by two different methods. RESULTS Cluster sizes and activation indices show that while agonists stabilized structures in a higher activation state, the antagonist behaved oppositely. Morphine tends to drive the receptor towards increasing R165-T279 distances, while naloxone tends to increase the NPxxYA motif conformational change. CONCLUSIONS Despite not observing a full transition between inactive and active states, an important conformational change of transmembrane helix 5 was observed and associated with a ligand-driven step of the process. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE The activation process of GPCRs is widely studied but still not fully understood. Here we carried out a step forward in the direction of gaining more details of this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diniz M Sena
- Universidade Regional do Cariri - URCA, Biological Chemistry Dept., Crato, CE 63105-000, Brazil.
| | - Xiaojing Cong
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Institut de Chimie de Nice UMR7272, Nice 06108, France
| | - Alejandro Giorgetti
- Computational Biomedicine, Institute for Advanced Simulation IAS-5 and Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine INM-9, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany; Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
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41
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Krug U, Gloge A, Schmidt P, Becker‐Baldus J, Bernhard F, Kaiser A, Montag C, Gauglitz M, Vishnivetskiy SA, Gurevich VV, Beck‐Sickinger AG, Glaubitz C, Huster D. The Conformational Equilibrium of the Neuropeptide Y2 Receptor in Bilayer Membranes. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020; 59:23854-23861. [PMID: 32790043 PMCID: PMC7736470 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202006075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Dynamic structural transitions within the seven-transmembrane bundle represent the mechanism by which G-protein-coupled receptors convert an extracellular chemical signal into an intracellular biological function. Here, the conformational dynamics of the neuropeptide Y receptor type 2 (Y2R) during activation was investigated. The apo, full agonist-, and arrestin-bound states of Y2R were prepared by cell-free expression, functional refolding, and reconstitution into lipid membranes. To study conformational transitions between these states, all six tryptophans of Y2R were 13 C-labeled. NMR-signal assignment was achieved by dynamic-nuclear-polarization enhancement and the individual functional states of the receptor were characterized by monitoring 13 C NMR chemical shifts. Activation of Y2R is mediated by molecular switches involving the toggle switch residue Trp2816.48 of the highly conserved SWLP motif and Trp3277.55 adjacent to the NPxxY motif. Furthermore, a conformationally preserved "cysteine lock"-Trp11623.50 was identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrike Krug
- Institute of Medical Physics and BiophysicsUniversity of LeipzigHärtelstr. 16–1804107LeipzigGermany
| | - Anika Gloge
- Institute of Medical Physics and BiophysicsUniversity of LeipzigHärtelstr. 16–1804107LeipzigGermany
| | - Peter Schmidt
- Institute of Medical Physics and BiophysicsUniversity of LeipzigHärtelstr. 16–1804107LeipzigGermany
| | - Johanna Becker‐Baldus
- Institute of Biophysical ChemistryGoethe University FrankfurtGermany
- Center for Biomolecular Magnetic ResonanceGoethe University FrankfurtGermany
| | - Frank Bernhard
- Institute of Biophysical ChemistryGoethe University FrankfurtGermany
- Center for Biomolecular Magnetic ResonanceGoethe University FrankfurtGermany
| | - Anette Kaiser
- Institute of BiochemistryUniversity of LeipzigLeipzigGermany
| | - Cindy Montag
- Institute of Medical Physics and BiophysicsUniversity of LeipzigHärtelstr. 16–1804107LeipzigGermany
| | - Marcel Gauglitz
- Institute of Medical Physics and BiophysicsUniversity of LeipzigHärtelstr. 16–1804107LeipzigGermany
- Berlin Joint Electron Paramagnetic Resonance LaboratoryFree University BerlinGermany
| | | | | | | | - Clemens Glaubitz
- Institute of Biophysical ChemistryGoethe University FrankfurtGermany
- Center for Biomolecular Magnetic ResonanceGoethe University FrankfurtGermany
| | - Daniel Huster
- Institute of Medical Physics and BiophysicsUniversity of LeipzigHärtelstr. 16–1804107LeipzigGermany
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42
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Krug U, Gloge A, Schmidt P, Becker‐Baldus J, Bernhard F, Kaiser A, Montag C, Gauglitz M, Vishnivetskiy SA, Gurevich VV, Beck‐Sickinger AG, Glaubitz C, Huster D. Das Konformationsgleichgewicht des Neuropeptid‐Y2‐Rezeptors in Lipidmembranen. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202006075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ulrike Krug
- Institut für Medizinische Physik und Biophysik Universität Leipzig Härtelstr. 16–18 04107 Leipzig Deutschland
| | - Anika Gloge
- Institut für Medizinische Physik und Biophysik Universität Leipzig Härtelstr. 16–18 04107 Leipzig Deutschland
| | - Peter Schmidt
- Institut für Medizinische Physik und Biophysik Universität Leipzig Härtelstr. 16–18 04107 Leipzig Deutschland
| | - Johanna Becker‐Baldus
- Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main Deutschland
- Zentrum für Biomolekulare Magnetresonanz Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main Deutschland
| | - Frank Bernhard
- Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main Deutschland
- Zentrum für Biomolekulare Magnetresonanz Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main Deutschland
| | - Anette Kaiser
- Institut für Biochemie Universität Leipzig Deutschland
| | - Cindy Montag
- Institut für Medizinische Physik und Biophysik Universität Leipzig Härtelstr. 16–18 04107 Leipzig Deutschland
| | - Marcel Gauglitz
- Institut für Medizinische Physik und Biophysik Universität Leipzig Härtelstr. 16–18 04107 Leipzig Deutschland
- Berlin Joint Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Laboratory Freie Universität Berlin Deutschland
| | | | | | | | - Clemens Glaubitz
- Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main Deutschland
- Zentrum für Biomolekulare Magnetresonanz Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main Deutschland
| | - Daniel Huster
- Institut für Medizinische Physik und Biophysik Universität Leipzig Härtelstr. 16–18 04107 Leipzig Deutschland
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43
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Calebiro D, Koszegi Z, Lanoiselée Y, Miljus T, O'Brien S. G protein-coupled receptor-G protein interactions: a single-molecule perspective. Physiol Rev 2020; 101:857-906. [PMID: 33331229 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00021.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) regulate many cellular and physiological processes, responding to a diverse range of extracellular stimuli including hormones, neurotransmitters, odorants, and light. Decades of biochemical and pharmacological studies have provided fundamental insights into the mechanisms of GPCR signaling. Thanks to recent advances in structural biology, we now possess an atomistic understanding of receptor activation and G protein coupling. However, how GPCRs and G proteins interact in living cells to confer signaling efficiency and specificity remains insufficiently understood. The development of advanced optical methods, including single-molecule microscopy, has provided the means to study receptors and G proteins in living cells with unprecedented spatio-temporal resolution. The results of these studies reveal an unexpected level of complexity, whereby GPCRs undergo transient interactions among themselves as well as with G proteins and structural elements of the plasma membrane to form short-lived signaling nanodomains that likely confer both rapidity and specificity to GPCR signaling. These findings may provide new strategies to pharmaceutically modulate GPCR function, which might eventually pave the way to innovative drugs for common diseases such as diabetes or heart failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Calebiro
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom; Centre of Membrane Proteins and Receptors (COMPARE), Universities of Nottingham and Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Zsombor Koszegi
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom; Centre of Membrane Proteins and Receptors (COMPARE), Universities of Nottingham and Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Yann Lanoiselée
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom; Centre of Membrane Proteins and Receptors (COMPARE), Universities of Nottingham and Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Tamara Miljus
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom; Centre of Membrane Proteins and Receptors (COMPARE), Universities of Nottingham and Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Shannon O'Brien
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom; Centre of Membrane Proteins and Receptors (COMPARE), Universities of Nottingham and Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
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44
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Patel M, Finlay DB, Glass M. Biased agonism at the cannabinoid receptors - Evidence from synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists. Cell Signal 2020; 78:109865. [PMID: 33259937 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2020.109865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The type 1 and type 2 cannabinoid receptors are G protein-coupled receptors implicated in a variety of physiological processes and diseases. Synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs) were originally developed to explore the therapeutic benefits of cannabinoid receptor activation, although more recently, these compounds have been diverted to the recreational drug market and are increasingly associated with incidences of toxicity. A prominent concept in contemporary pharmacology is functional selectivity or biased agonism, which describes the ability of ligands to elicit differential activation of signalling pathways through stabilisation of distinct receptor conformations. Biased agonists may maximise drug effectiveness by reducing on-target adverse effects if they are mediated by signalling pathways distinct from those that drive the therapeutic effects. For the cannabinoid receptors, it remains unclear as to which signalling pathways mediate desirable and adverse effects. However, given their structural diversity and potential to induce a plethora of signalling effects, SCRAs provide the most promising prospect for detecting and studying bias at the cannabinoid receptors. This review summarises the emerging evidence of SCRA bias at the cannabinoid receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Patel
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - David B Finlay
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Michelle Glass
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
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45
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Mondal D, Kolev V, Warshel A. Exploring the activation pathway and G i-coupling specificity of the μ-opioid receptor. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:26218-26225. [PMID: 33020275 PMCID: PMC7585030 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2013364117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the activation mechanism of the μ-opioid receptor (μ-OR) and its selective coupling to the inhibitory G protein (Gi) is vital for pharmaceutical research aimed at finding treatments for the opioid overdose crisis. Many attempts have been made to understand the mechanism of the μ-OR activation, following the elucidation of new crystal structures such as the antagonist- and agonist-bound μ-OR. However, the focus has not been placed on the underlying energetics and specificity of the activation process. An energy-based picture would not only help to explain this coupling but also help to explore why other possible options are not common. For example, one would like to understand why μ-OR is more selective to Gi than a stimulatory G protein (Gs). Our study used homology modeling and a coarse-grained model to generate all of the possible "end states" of the thermodynamic cycle of the activation of μ-OR. The end points were further used to generate reasonable intermediate structures of the receptor and the Gi to calculate two-dimensional free energy landscapes. The results of the landscape calculations helped to propose a plausible sequence of conformational changes in the μ-OR and Gi system and for exploring the path that leads to its activation. Furthermore, in silico alanine scanning calculations of the last 21 residues of the C terminals of Gi and Gs were performed to shed light on the selective binding of Gi to μ-OR. Overall, the present work appears to demonstrate the potential of multiscale modeling in exploring the action of G protein-coupled receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dibyendu Mondal
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089
| | - Vesselin Kolev
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089
| | - Arieh Warshel
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089
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46
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Jones AJY, Gabriel F, Tandale A, Nietlispach D. Structure and Dynamics of GPCRs in Lipid Membranes: Physical Principles and Experimental Approaches. Molecules 2020; 25:E4729. [PMID: 33076366 PMCID: PMC7587580 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25204729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 10/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past decade, the vast amount of information generated through structural and biophysical studies of GPCRs has provided unprecedented mechanistic insight into the complex signalling behaviour of these receptors. With this recent information surge, it has also become increasingly apparent that in order to reproduce the various effects that lipids and membranes exert on the biological function for these allosteric receptors, in vitro studies of GPCRs need to be conducted under conditions that adequately approximate the native lipid bilayer environment. In the first part of this review, we assess some of the more general effects that a membrane environment exerts on lipid bilayer-embedded proteins such as GPCRs. This is then followed by the consideration of more specific effects, including stoichiometric interactions with specific lipid subtypes. In the final section, we survey a range of different membrane mimetics that are currently used for in vitro studies, with a focus on NMR applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Daniel Nietlispach
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK; (A.J.Y.J.); (F.G.); (A.T.)
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47
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Capturing Peptide-GPCR Interactions and Their Dynamics. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25204724. [PMID: 33076289 PMCID: PMC7587574 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25204724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Many biological functions of peptides are mediated through G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Upon ligand binding, GPCRs undergo conformational changes that facilitate the binding and activation of multiple effectors. GPCRs regulate nearly all physiological processes and are a favorite pharmacological target. In particular, drugs are sought after that elicit the recruitment of selected effectors only (biased ligands). Understanding how ligands bind to GPCRs and which conformational changes they induce is a fundamental step toward the development of more efficient and specific drugs. Moreover, it is emerging that the dynamic of the ligand–receptor interaction contributes to the specificity of both ligand recognition and effector recruitment, an aspect that is missing in structural snapshots from crystallography. We describe here biochemical and biophysical techniques to address ligand–receptor interactions in their structural and dynamic aspects, which include mutagenesis, crosslinking, spectroscopic techniques, and mass-spectrometry profiling. With a main focus on peptide receptors, we present methods to unveil the ligand–receptor contact interface and methods that address conformational changes both in the ligand and the GPCR. The presented studies highlight a wide structural heterogeneity among peptide receptors, reveal distinct structural changes occurring during ligand binding and a surprisingly high dynamics of the ligand–GPCR complexes.
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48
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Hilger D, Kumar KK, Hu H, Pedersen MF, O'Brien ES, Giehm L, Jennings C, Eskici G, Inoue A, Lerch M, Mathiesen JM, Skiniotis G, Kobilka BK. Structural insights into differences in G protein activation by family A and family B GPCRs. Science 2020; 369:369/6503/eaba3373. [PMID: 32732395 DOI: 10.1126/science.aba3373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Family B heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding protein (G protein)-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play important roles in carbohydrate metabolism. Recent structures of family B GPCR-Gs protein complexes reveal a disruption in the α-helix of transmembrane segment 6 (TM6) not observed in family A GPCRs. To investigate the functional impact of this structural difference, we compared the structure and function of the glucagon receptor (GCGR; family B) with the β2 adrenergic receptor (β2AR; family A). We determined the structure of the GCGR-Gs complex by means of cryo-electron microscopy at 3.1-angstrom resolution. This structure shows the distinct break in TM6. Guanosine triphosphate (GTP) turnover, guanosine diphosphate release, GTP binding, and G protein dissociation studies revealed much slower rates for G protein activation by the GCGR compared with the β2AR. Fluorescence and double electron-electron resonance studies suggest that this difference is due to the inability of agonist alone to induce a detectable outward movement of the cytoplasmic end of TM6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Hilger
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Kaavya Krishna Kumar
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Hongli Hu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.,Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | | | - Evan S O'Brien
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Lise Giehm
- Zealand Pharma A/S, Sydmarken 11, Søborg 2860, Denmark
| | - Christine Jennings
- Department of Biophysics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Gözde Eskici
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.,Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Asuka Inoue
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8578, Japan
| | - Michael Lerch
- Department of Biophysics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | | | - Georgios Skiniotis
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA. .,Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.,Department of Photon Science, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Brian K Kobilka
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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49
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Probing the Y 2 Receptor on Transmembrane, Intra- and Extra-Cellular Sites for EPR Measurements. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25184143. [PMID: 32927734 PMCID: PMC7571237 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25184143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The function of G protein-coupled receptors is intrinsically linked to their conformational dynamics. In conjugation with site-directed spin labeling, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy provides powerful tools to study the highly dynamic conformational states of these proteins. Here, we explored positions for nitroxide spin labeling coupled to single cysteines, introduced at transmembrane, intra- and extra-cellular sites of the human neuropeptide Y2 receptor. Receptor mutants were functionally analyzed in cell culture system, expressed in Escherichia coli fermentation with yields of up to 10 mg of purified protein per liter expression medium and functionally reconstituted into a lipid bicelle environment. Successful spin labeling was confirmed by a fluorescence assay and continuous wave EPR measurements. EPR spectra revealed mobile and immobile populations, indicating multiple dynamic conformational states of the receptor. We found that the singly mutated positions by MTSL ((1-oxyl-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-2,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrol-3-yl) methyl methanesulfonothioate) have a water exposed immobilized conformation as their main conformation, while in case of the IDSL (bis(1-oxyl-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-3-imidazolin-4-yl) disulfide) labeled positions, the main conformation are mainly of hydrophobic nature. Further, double cysteine mutants were generated and examined for potential applications of distance measurements by double electron–electron resonance (DEER) pulsed EPR technique on the receptor.
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50
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Wingler LM, Lefkowitz RJ. Conformational Basis of G Protein-Coupled Receptor Signaling Versatility. Trends Cell Biol 2020; 30:736-747. [PMID: 32622699 PMCID: PMC7483927 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2020.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 06/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are privileged structural scaffolds in biology that have the versatility to regulate diverse physiological processes. Interestingly, many GPCR ligands exhibit significant 'bias' - the ability to preferentially activate subsets of the many cellular pathways downstream of these receptors. Recently, complementary information from structural and spectroscopic approaches has made significant inroads into understanding the mechanisms of these biased ligands. The consistently emerging theme is that GPCRs are highly dynamic proteins, and ligands with varying pharmacological properties differentially modulate the equilibrium among multiple conformations. Biased signaling and other recently appreciated complexities of GPCR signaling thus appear to be a natural consequence of the conformational heterogeneity of GPCRs and GPCR-transducer complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M Wingler
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
| | - Robert J Lefkowitz
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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