Structural rearrangements of NR1/NR2A NMDA receptors during allosteric inhibition

Mechanisms of NMDA receptor regulation

N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are glutamate-gated ion channels widely expressed in the central nervous system that play key role in brain development and plasticity. On the downside, NMDAR dysfunction, be it hyperactivity or hypofunction, is harmful to neuronal function and has emerged as a common theme in various neuropsychiatric disorders including autism spectrum disorders, epilepsy, intellectual disability, and schizophrenia. Not surprisingly, NMDAR signaling is under a complex set of regulatory mechanisms that maintain NMDAR-mediated transmission in check. These include an unusual large number of endogenous agents that directly bind NMDARs and tune their activity in a subunit-dependent manner. Here, we review current knowledge on the regulation of NMDAR signaling. We focus on the regulation of the receptor by its microenvironment as well as by external (i.e. pharmacological) factors and their underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms. Recent developments showing how NMDAR dysregulation participate to disease mechanisms are also highlighted.

Structural insights into gating mechanism and allosteric regulation of NMDA receptors

N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) belong to the ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) superfamily and act as coincidence detectors that are crucial to neuronal development and synaptic plasticity. They typically assemble as heterotetramers of two obligatory GluN1 subunits and two alternative GluN2 (from 2A to 2D) and/or GluN3 (3A and 3B) subunits. These alternative subunits mainly determine the diverse biophysical and pharmacological properties of different NMDAR subtypes. Over the past decade, the unprecedented advances in structure elucidation of these tetrameric NMDARs have provided atomic insights into channel gating, allosteric modulation and the action of therapeutic drugs. A wealth of structural and functional information would accelerate the artificial intelligence-based drug design to exploit more NMDAR subtype-specific molecules for the treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders.

Pharmacological Potential of 3-Benzazepines in NMDAR-Linked Pathophysiological Processes

The number of N-Methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) linked neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and dementia is constantly increasing. This is partly due to demographic change and presents new challenges to societies. To date, there are no effective treatment options. Current medications are nonselective and can lead to unwanted side effects in patients. A promising therapeutic approach is the targeted inhibition of NMDARs in the brain. NMDARs containing different subunits and splice variants display different physiological properties and play a crucial role in learning and memory, as well as in inflammatory or injury processes. They become overactivated during the course of the disease, leading to nerve cell death. Until now, there has been a lack of understanding of the general functions of the receptor and the mechanism of inhibition, which need to be understood in order to develop inhibitors. Ideal compounds should be highly targeted and even splice-variant-selective. However, a potent and splice-variant-selective NMDAR-targeting drug has yet to be developed. Recently developed 3-benzazepines are promising inhibitors for further drug development. The NMDAR splice variants GluN1-1b-4b carry a 21-amino-acid-long, flexible exon 5. Exon 5 lowers the NMDAR's sensitivity to allosteric modulators by probably acting as an NMDAR modulator itself. The role of exon 5 in NMDAR modulation is still poorly understood. In this review, we summarize the structure and pharmacological relevance of tetrahydro-3-benzazepines.

Association between NMDA gene polymorphism (rs4880213) and GRIN2B blood serum levels in thyroid pathology patients

The article discusses a new hypothesis that autoimmune diseases of the thyroid gland can lead to depression and neurological complications. It is believed that the neuronal N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor plays a significant role in depression pathophysiology and neurological and mental diseases, respectively. The study involved 153 patients with various forms of thyroid pathology. GRIN2B levels in the sera of the patients and healthy individuals were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with highly sensitive Human GRIN2B (Glutamate Receptor, Ionotropic, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate 2B) ELISA Kit. Genotyping of the glutamate ionotropic receptor NMDA type subunit 1, GRIN1 (rs4880213) gene polymorphism. The CT genotype of the NMDA gene (rs4880213) was predominant in the surveyed population. The C allele of the NMDA gene was more frequent than the T allele among patients with thyroid disease. GRIN2B levels were significantly decreased in patients with postoperative hypothyroidism 3.45 times, and in patients with AIT-induced hypothyroidism, there was a probable increase in GRIN2B levels by 1.58 times compared with controls. GRIN2B levels were significantly different in patients of different groups depending on thyroid pathology. Our study showed direct close correlation (r=0.635) between GRIN2B and anti-TPO levels (p<0.001), a significant direct close correlation (r=0.527) between GRIN2B and anti-TG levels in the blood (p<0.001). Our results allow us to consider the GRIN2B level as an important prognostic minimally invasive marker of neurological complications in endocrine pathology.

Structure, Function, and Pharmacology of Glutamate Receptor Ion Channels

Many physiologic effects of l-glutamate, the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system, are mediated via signaling by ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs). These ligand-gated ion channels are critical to brain function and are centrally implicated in numerous psychiatric and neurologic disorders. There are different classes of iGluRs with a variety of receptor subtypes in each class that play distinct roles in neuronal functions. The diversity in iGluR subtypes, with their unique functional properties and physiologic roles, has motivated a large number of studies. Our understanding of receptor subtypes has advanced considerably since the first iGluR subunit gene was cloned in 1989, and the research focus has expanded to encompass facets of biology that have been recently discovered and to exploit experimental paradigms made possible by technological advances. Here, we review insights from more than 3 decades of iGluR studies with an emphasis on the progress that has occurred in the past decade. We cover structure, function, pharmacology, roles in neurophysiology, and therapeutic implications for all classes of receptors assembled from the subunits encoded by the 18 ionotropic glutamate receptor genes. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Glutamate receptors play important roles in virtually all aspects of brain function and are either involved in mediating some clinical features of neurological disease or represent a therapeutic target for treatment. Therefore, understanding the structure, function, and pharmacology of this class of receptors will advance our understanding of many aspects of brain function at molecular, cellular, and system levels and provide new opportunities to treat patients.

GluN2A and GluN2B NMDA receptors use distinct allosteric routes

Allostery represents a fundamental mechanism of biological regulation that involves long-range communication between distant protein sites. It also provides a powerful framework for novel therapeutics. NMDA receptors (NMDARs), glutamate-gated ionotropic receptors that play central roles in synapse maturation and plasticity, are prototypical allosteric machines harboring large extracellular N-terminal domains (NTDs) that provide allosteric control of key receptor properties with impact on cognition and behavior. It is commonly thought that GluN2A and GluN2B receptors, the two predominant NMDAR subtypes in the adult brain, share similar allosteric transitions. Here, combining functional and structural interrogation, we reveal that GluN2A and GluN2B receptors utilize different long-distance allosteric mechanisms involving distinct subunit-subunit interfaces and molecular rearrangements. NMDARs have thus evolved multiple levels of subunit-specific allosteric control over their transmembrane ion channel pore. Our results uncover an unsuspected diversity in NMDAR molecular mechanisms with important implications for receptor physiology and precision drug development.

NMDA receptors are glutamate-gated ion channels essential for synapse maturation and plasticity. Here the authors show that GluN2A and GluN2B NMDA receptors — the two principal subtypes NMDARs in the adult CNS — operate through distinct long range allosteric mechanisms.

Positive allosteric modulation of NMDA receptors: mechanisms, physiological impact and therapeutic potential

NMDA receptors (NMDARs) are glutamate-gated ion channels that play key roles in synaptic transmission and plasticity. Both hyper- and hypo-activation of NMDARs are deleterious to neuronal function. In particular, NMDAR hypofunction is involved in a wide range of neurological and psychiatric conditions like schizophrenia, intellectual disability, age-dependent cognitive decline, or Alzheimer's disease. While early medicinal chemistry efforts were mostly focused on the development of NMDAR antagonists, the last 10 years have seen a boom in the development of NMDAR positive allosteric modulators (PAMs). Here we review the currently developed NMDAR PAMs, their pharmacological profiles and mechanisms of action, as well as their physiological effects in healthy animals and animal models of NMDAR hypofunction. In light of the complexity of physiological outcomes of NMDAR PAMs in vivo, we discuss the remaining challenges and questions that need to be addressed to better grasp and predict the therapeutic potential of NMDAR positive allosteric modulation.

Mechanisms for Zinc and Proton Inhibition of the GluN1/GluN2A NMDA Receptor

N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) play essential roles in memory formation, neuronal plasticity, and brain development, with their dysfunction linked to a range of disorders from ischemia to schizophrenia. Zinc and pH are physiological allosteric modulators of NMDARs, with GluN2A-containing receptors inhibited by nanomolar concentrations of divalent zinc and by excursions to low pH. Despite the widespread importance of zinc and proton modulation of NMDARs, the molecular mechanism by which these ions modulate receptor activity has proven elusive. Here, we use cryoelectron microscopy to elucidate the structure of the GluN1/GluN2A NMDAR in a large ensemble of conformations under a range of physiologically relevant zinc and proton concentrations. We show how zinc binding to the amino terminal domain elicits structural changes that are transduced though the ligand-binding domain and result in constriction of the ion channel gate.

Reactive Sulfur Species Emerge as Gliotransmitters to Support Memory via Sulfuration-Dependent Gating of NR2A-Containing N-Methyl-d-Aspartate Subtype Glutamate Receptor Function

AIMS

Astrocytes have been revealed as a controller of synaptic plasticity and memory via releasing gliotransmitters. Our recent findings showed that reactive sulfur species (RSS), including hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) and polysulfide (H₂S_n), regulated the availability of d-serine, which is a well-known gliotransmitter that is involved in synaptic plasticity. An interesting question is whether RSS, which are small molecules, can function as direct gliotransmitters to integrate astrocyte-neuron interactions throughout the memory process.

RESULTS

We found that hippocampal RSS level increased significantly in response to learning. We further demonstrated that the activity-triggered RSS signal controlled memory formation by using pharmacological and genetic approaches. The RSS-supporting memory was primarily conferred by enzymes that were mainly located in astrocytes, including cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) and mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (3-MST), and the memory-promoting effects were mostly dependent on sulfration of the NR2A subunit of N-methyl-d-aspartate subtype glutamate receptors (NMDARs). Further, RSS were demonstrated to buffer the strong inhibitory effect of synaptically released zinc on NR2A-containing NMDARs. Innovation and Conclusion: These results suggest that glial-derived RSS signals can serve as direct gliotransmitters that regulate memory formation through the redox modulation of postsynaptic receptors; this conclusion will enrich the gliotransmission hypothesis.

Dissecting diverse functions of NMDA receptors by structural biology

N-Methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are glutamate-gated ion channels, which are critically involved in brain development, learning and memory, cognition, as well as a number of neurological diseases and disorders. Structural biology of NMDARs has been challenging due to technical difficulties associated with assembling a number of different membrane protein subunits. Here, we review historical X-ray crystallographic studies on isolated extracellular domains, which are still the most effective mean to delineate compound binding modes, as well as the most recent studies using electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM). A number of NMDAR structures accumulated over the past 15 years provide insights into the hetero-tetrameric assembly pattern, pharmacological specificities elicited by subtypes and alternative splicing, and potential patterns of conformational dynamics; however, many more important unanswered questions remain.

An inter-dimer allosteric switch controls NMDA receptor activity

NMDA receptors (NMDARs) are glutamate-gated ion channels that are key mediators of excitatory neurotransmission and synaptic plasticity throughout the central nervous system. They form massive heterotetrameric complexes endowed with unique allosteric capacity provided by eight extracellular clamshell-like domains arranged as two superimposed layers. Despite an increasing number of full-length NMDAR structures, how these domains cooperate in an intact receptor to control its activity remains poorly understood. Here, combining single-molecule and macroscopic electrophysiological recordings, cysteine biochemistry, and in silico analysis, we identify a rolling motion at a yet unexplored interface between the two constitute dimers in the agonist-binding domain (ABD) layer as a key structural determinant in NMDAR activation and allosteric modulation. This rotation acts as a gating switch that tunes channel opening depending on the conformation of the membrane-distal N-terminal domain (NTD) layer. Remarkably, receptors locked in a rolled state display "super-activity" and resistance to NTD-mediated allosteric modulators. Our work unveils how NMDAR domains move in a concerted manner to transduce long-range conformational changes between layers and command receptor channel activity.

Intradomain Interactions in an NMDA Receptor Fragment Mediate N-Glycan Processing and Conformational Sampling

The structural and functional roles of highly conserved asparagine-linked (N)-glycans on the extracellular ligand-binding domain (LBD) of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors are poorly understood. We applied solution- and computation-based methods that identified N-glycan-mediated intradomain and interglycan interactions. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of the GluN1 LBD showed clear signals corresponding to each of the three N-glycans and indicated the reducing end of glycans at N440 and N771 potentially contacted nearby amino acids. Molecular dynamics simulations identified contacts between nearby amino acids and the N440- and N771-glycans that were consistent with the NMR spectra. The distal portions of the N771-glycan also contacted the core residues of the nearby N471-glycan. This result was consistent with mass spectrometry data indicating the limited N471-glycan core fucosylation and reduced branch processing of the N771-glycan could be explained by interglycan contacts. We discuss a potential role for the GluN1 LBD N-glycans in interdomain contacts formed in NMDA receptors.

A structurally derived model of subunit-dependent NMDA receptor function

Key points

The kinetics of NMDA receptor (NMDAR) signalling are a critical aspect of the physiology of excitatory synaptic transmission in the brain.

Here we develop a mechanistic description of NMDAR function based on the receptor tetrameric structure and the principle that each agonist‐bound subunit must undergo some rate‐limiting conformational change after agonist binding, prior to channel opening.

By fitting this mechanism to single channel data using a new MATLAB‐based software implementation of maximum likelihood fitting with correction for limited time resolution, rate constants were derived for this mechanism that reflect distinct structural changes and predict the properties of macroscopic and synaptic NMDAR currents.

The principles applied here to develop a mechanistic description of the heterotetrameric NMDAR, and the software used in this analysis, can be equally applied to other heterotetrameric glutamate receptors, providing a unifying mechanistic framework to understanding the physiology of glutamate receptor signalling in the brain.

Abstract

NMDA receptors (NMDARs) are tetrameric complexes comprising two glycine‐binding GluN1 and two glutamate‐binding GluN2 subunits. Four GluN2 subunits encoded by different genes can produce up to 10 different di‐ and triheteromeric receptors. In addition, some neurological patients contain a de novo mutation or inherited rare variant in only one subunit. There is currently no mechanistic framework to describe tetrameric receptor function that can be extended to receptors with two different GluN1 or GluN2 subunits. Here we use the structural features of glutamate receptors to develop a mechanism describing both single channel and macroscopic NMDAR currents. We propose that each agonist‐bound subunit undergoes some rate‐limiting conformational change after agonist binding, prior to channel opening. We hypothesize that this conformational change occurs within a triad of interactions between a short helix preceding the M1 transmembrane helix, the highly conserved M3 motif encoded by the residues SYTANLAAF, and the linker preceding the M4 transmembrane helix of the adjacent subunit. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest that pre‐M1 helix motion is uncorrelated between subunits, which we interpret to suggest independent subunit‐specific conformational changes may influence these pre‐gating steps. According to this interpretation, these conformational changes are the main determinants of the key kinetic properties of NMDA receptor activation following agonist binding, and so these steps sculpt their physiological role. We show that this structurally derived tetrameric model describes both single channel and macroscopic data, giving a new approach to interpreting functional properties of synaptic NMDARs that provides a logical framework to understanding receptors with non‐identical subunits.

The kinetics of NMDA receptor (NMDAR) signalling are a critical aspect of the physiology of excitatory synaptic transmission in the brain.

Here we develop a mechanistic description of NMDAR function based on the receptor tetrameric structure and the principle that each agonist‐bound subunit must undergo some rate‐limiting conformational change after agonist binding, prior to channel opening.

By fitting this mechanism to single channel data using a new MATLAB‐based software implementation of maximum likelihood fitting with correction for limited time resolution, rate constants were derived for this mechanism that reflect distinct structural changes and predict the properties of macroscopic and synaptic NMDAR currents.

The principles applied here to develop a mechanistic description of the heterotetrameric NMDAR, and the software used in this analysis, can be equally applied to other heterotetrameric glutamate receptors, providing a unifying mechanistic framework to understanding the physiology of glutamate receptor signalling in the brain.

Structure, function, and allosteric modulation of NMDA receptors

Hansen et al. review recent structural data that have provided insight into the function and allosteric modulation of NMDA receptors.

NMDA-type glutamate receptors are ligand-gated ion channels that mediate a Ca²⁺-permeable component of excitatory neurotransmission in the central nervous system (CNS). They are expressed throughout the CNS and play key physiological roles in synaptic function, such as synaptic plasticity, learning, and memory. NMDA receptors are also implicated in the pathophysiology of several CNS disorders and more recently have been identified as a locus for disease-associated genomic variation. NMDA receptors exist as a diverse array of subtypes formed by variation in assembly of seven subunits (GluN1, GluN2A-D, and GluN3A-B) into tetrameric receptor complexes. These NMDA receptor subtypes show unique structural features that account for their distinct functional and pharmacological properties allowing precise tuning of their physiological roles. Here, we review the relationship between NMDA receptor structure and function with an emphasis on emerging atomic resolution structures, which begin to explain unique features of this receptor.

The dual-gate model for pentameric ligand-gated ion channels activation and desensitization

Pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) mediate fast neurotransmission in the nervous system. Their dysfunction is associated with psychiatric, neurological and neurodegenerative disorders such as schizophrenia, epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease. Understanding their biophysical and pharmacological properties, at both the functional and the structural level, thus holds many therapeutic promises. In addition to their agonist-elicited activation, most pLGICs display another key allosteric property, namely desensitization, in which they enter a shut state refractory to activation upon sustained agonist binding. While the activation mechanisms of several pLGICs have been revealed at near-atomic resolution, the structural foundation of desensitization has long remained elusive. Recent structural and functional data now suggest that the activation and desensitization gates are distinct, and are located at both sides of the ion channel. Such a 'dual gate mechanism' accounts for the marked allosteric effects of channel blockers, a feature illustrated herein by theoretical kinetics simulations. Comparison with other classes of ligand- and voltage-gated ion channels shows that this dual gate mechanism emerges as a common theme for the desensitization and inactivation properties of structurally unrelated ion channels.

Structural Mechanism of Functional Modulation by Gene Splicing in NMDA Receptors

Alternative gene splicing gives rise to N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor ion channels with defined functional properties and unique contributions to calcium signaling in a given chemical environment in the mammalian brain. Splice variants possessing the exon-5-encoded motif at the amino-terminal domain (ATD) of the GluN1 subunit are known to display robustly altered deactivation rates and pH sensitivity, but the underlying mechanism for this functional modification is largely unknown. Here, we show through cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) that the presence of the exon 5 motif in GluN1 alters the local architecture of heterotetrameric GluN1-GluN2 NMDA receptors and creates contacts with the ligand-binding domains (LBDs) of the GluN1 and GluN2 subunits, which are absent in NMDA receptors lacking the exon 5 motif. The unique interactions established by the exon 5 motif are essential to the stability of the ATD/LBD and LBD/LBD interfaces that are critically involved in controlling proton sensitivity and deactivation.

Probing the Structural Dynamics of the NMDA Receptor Activation by Coarse-Grained Modeling

N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are glutamate-gated excitatory channels that play essential roles in brain functions. High-resolution structures have been solved for an allosterically inhibited and agonist-bound form of a functional NMDA receptor; however, other key functional states (particularly the active open-channel state) were only resolved at moderate resolutions by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). To decrypt the mechanism of the NMDA receptor activation, structural modeling is essential to provide presently missing information about structural dynamics. We performed systematic coarse-grained modeling using an elastic network model and related modeling/analysis tools (e.g., normal mode analysis, flexibility and hotspot analysis, cryo-EM flexible fitting, and transition pathway modeling) based on an active-state cryo-EM map. We observed extensive conformational changes that allosterically couple the extracellular regulatory and agonist-binding domains to the pore-forming trans-membrane domain (TMD), and validated these, to our knowledge, new observations against known mutational and functional studies. Our results predict two key modes of collective motions featuring shearing/twisting of the extracellular domains relative to the TMD, reveal subunit-specific flexibility profiles, and identify functional hotspot residues at key domain-domain interfaces. Finally, by examining the conformational transition pathway between the allosterically inhibited form and the active form, we predict a discrete sequence of domain motions, which propagate from the extracellular domains to the TMD. In summary, our results offer rich structural and dynamic information, which is consistent with the literature on structure-function relationships in NMDA receptors, and will guide in-depth studies on the activation dynamics of this important neurotransmitter receptor.

Optocontrol of glutamate receptor activity by single side-chain photoisomerization

Engineering light-sensitivity into proteins has wide ranging applications in molecular studies and neuroscience. Commonly used tethered photoswitchable ligands, however, require solvent-accessible protein labeling, face structural constrains, and are bulky. Here, we designed a set of optocontrollable NMDA receptors by directly incorporating single photoswitchable amino acids (PSAAs) providing genetic encodability, reversibility, and site tolerance. We identified several positions within the multi-domain receptor endowing robust photomodulation. PSAA photoisomerization at the GluN1 clamshell hinge is sufficient to control glycine sensitivity and activation efficacy. Strikingly, in the pore domain, flipping of a M3 residue within a conserved transmembrane cavity impacts both gating and permeation properties. Our study demonstrates the first detection of molecular rearrangements in real-time due to the reversible light-switching of single amino acid side-chains, adding a dynamic dimension to protein site-directed mutagenesis. This novel approach to interrogate neuronal protein function has general applicability in the fast expanding field of optopharmacology.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.25808.001

Nerve cells communicate with each other by releasing chemicals, also known as neurotransmitters, from one cell to the next. Once released, these neurotransmitters bind to specific docking stations, called receptors, which are located on the surface of the neighboring cell. Due to changes in neurotransmitter release or the receptor number, the connections between neurons can either strengthen or weaken over time. This process, called synaptic plasticity, forms the basis of learning and memory. One of the key players in synaptic plasticity are NMDA receptors, and if these receptors are faulty, it can cause disorders such as schizophrenia or epilepsy.

NMDAs are a large family of receptors that have many receptor subtypes, each with specific properties. Every subtype is composed of four varying subunits. It is still unclear how these different receptor subtypes contribute to synaptic plasticity and new methods are needed to resolve this puzzle.

An emerging strategy to study brain receptors is to engineer them so that they can be controlled with light. One approach to provide light-sensitivity uses molecules that act as ‘light switches’. These switches change their shape when exposed to specific colors of light and this way, turn a receptor on or off. However, commonly used light switches are often very large, meaning that they can only be introduced at specific sites in a receptor, and have limited ability to change the shape of a receptor.

Klippenstein et al. have now generated a small light switch molecule with the size of a single amino acid side-chain that, in theory, could replace any of the usual amino acids in the NMDA receptor. Different locations for the light switch were tested to identify those that changed the activity of the receptor. When the receptors were stimulated with light, the light switch changed its shape, which in turn influenced the shape of the receptor. This meant that, depending on which amino acid in the receptor had been replaced with the light switch, light could be used to control the receptor activity in different ways.

This new approach of using integrated light switches allows NMDA receptors to be controlled in a fast and reversible manner using something as simple as a beam of light. Further research will use the toolset of light-controllable receptors to study how the different NMDA receptor subtypes affect synaptic plasticity in the normal and diseased brain.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.25808.002

The Regulation of GluN2A by Endogenous and Exogenous Regulators in the Central Nervous System

The NMDA receptor is the most widely studied ionotropic glutamate receptor, and it is central to many physiological and pathophysiological processes in the central nervous system. GluN2A is one of the two main types of GluN2 NMDA receptor subunits in the forebrain. The proper activity of GluN2A is important to brain function, as the abnormal regulation of GluN2A may induce some neuropsychiatric disorders. This review will examine the regulation of GluN2A by endogenous and exogenous regulators in the central nervous system.

NMDA Receptors in the Central Nervous System

NMDA-type glutamate receptors are ligand-gated ion channels that mediate a major component of excitatory neurotransmission in the central nervous system (CNS). They are widely distributed at all stages of development and are critically involved in normal brain functions, including neuronal development and synaptic plasticity. NMDA receptors are also implicated in the pathophysiology of numerous neurological and psychiatric disorders, such as ischemic stroke, traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, mood disorders, and schizophrenia. For these reasons, NMDA receptors have been intensively studied in the past several decades to elucidate their physiological roles and to advance them as therapeutic targets. Seven NMDA receptor subunits exist that assemble into a diverse array of tetrameric receptor complexes, which are differently regulated, have distinct regional and developmental expression, and possess a wide range of functional and pharmacological properties. The diversity in subunit composition creates NMDA receptor subtypes with distinct physiological roles across neuronal cell types and brain regions, and enables precise tuning of synaptic transmission. Here, we will review the relationship between NMDA receptor structure and function, the diversity and significance of NMDA receptor subtypes in the CNS, as well as principles and rules by which NMDA receptors operate in the CNS under normal and pathological conditions.

Molecular Basis for Subtype Specificity and High-Affinity Zinc Inhibition in the GluN1-GluN2A NMDA Receptor Amino-Terminal Domain

Zinc is vastly present in the mammalian brain and controls functions of various cell surface receptors to regulate neurotransmission. A distinctive characteristic of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors containing a GluN2A subunit is that their ion channel activity is allosterically inhibited by a nano-molar concentration of zinc that binds to an extracellular domain called an amino-terminal domain (ATD). Despite physiological importance, the molecular mechanism underlying the high-affinity zinc inhibition has been incomplete because of the lack of a GluN2A ATD structure. Here we show the first crystal structures of the heterodimeric GluN1-GluN2A ATD, which provide the complete map of the high-affinity zinc-binding site and reveal distinctive features from the ATD of the GluN1-GluN2B subtype. Perturbation of hydrogen bond networks at the hinge of the GluN2A bi-lobe structure affects both zinc inhibition and open probability, supporting the general model in which the bi-lobe motion in ATD regulates the channel activity in NMDA receptors.

Allosteric regulation in NMDA receptors revealed by the genetically encoded photo-cross-linkers

Allostery is essential to neuronal receptor function, but its transient nature poses a challenge for characterization. The N-terminal domains (NTDs) distinct from ligand binding domains are a major locus for allosteric regulation of NMDA receptors (NMDARs), where different modulatory binding sites have been observed. The inhibitor ifenprodil, and related phenylethanoamine compounds specifically targeting GluN1/GluN2B NMDARs have neuroprotective activity. However, whether they use differential structural pathways than the endogenous inhibitor Zn²⁺ for regulation is unknown. We applied genetically encoded unnatural amino acids (Uaas) and monitored the functional changes in living cells with photo-cross-linkers specifically incorporated at the ifenprodil binding interface between GluN1 and GluN2B subunits. We report constraining the NTD domain movement, by a light induced crosslinking bond that introduces minimal perturbation to the ligand binding, specifically impedes the transduction of ifenprodil but not Zn²⁺ inhibition. Subtle distance changes reveal interfacial flexibility and NTD rearrangements in the presence of modulators. Our results present a much richer dynamic picture of allostery than conventional approaches targeting the same interface, and highlight key residues that determine functional and subtype specificity of NMDARs. The light-sensitive mutant neuronal receptors provide complementary tools to the photo-switchable ligands for opto-neuropharmacology.

Altered zinc sensitivity of NMDA receptors harboring clinically-relevant mutations

Recent human genetic studies have identified a surprisingly high number of alterations in genes encoding NMDA receptor (NMDAR) subunits in several common brain diseases. Among NMDAR subunits, the widely-expressed GluN2A subunit appears particularly affected, with tens of de novo or inherited mutations associated with neurodevelopmental conditions including childhood epilepsies and cognitive deficits. Despite the increasing identification of NMDAR mutations of clinical interest, there is still little information about the effects of the mutations on receptor and network function. Here we analyze the impact on receptor expression and function of nine GluN2A missense (i.e. single-point) mutations targeting the N-terminal domain, a large regulatory region involved in subunit assembly and allosteric signaling. While several mutations produced no or little apparent effect on receptor expression, gating and pharmacology, two showed a drastic expression phenotype and two resulted in marked alterations in the sensitivity to zinc, a potent allosteric inhibitor of GluN1/GluN2A receptors and modulator of excitatory synaptic transmission. Surprisingly, both increase (GluN2A-R370W) and decrease (GluN2A-P79R) of zinc sensitivity were observed on receptors containing either one or two copies of the mutated subunits. Overexpression of the mutant subunits in cultured rat neurons confirmed the results from heterologous expression. These results, together with previously published data, indicate that disease-causing mutations in NMDARs produce a wide spectrum of receptor alterations, at least in vitro. They also point to a critical role of the zinc-NMDAR interaction in neuronal function and human health.

Mechanism of NMDA Receptor Inhibition and Activation

N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are glutamate-gated, calcium-permeable ion channels that mediate synaptic transmission and underpin learning and memory. NMDAR dysfunction is directly implicated in diseases ranging from seizure to ischemia. Despite its fundamental importance, little is known about how the NMDAR transitions between inactive and active states and how small molecules inhibit or activate ion channel gating. Here, we report electron cryo-microscopy structures of the GluN1-GluN2B NMDA receptor in an ensemble of competitive antagonist-bound states, an agonist-bound form, and a state bound with agonists and the allosteric inhibitor Ro25-6981. Together with double electron-electron resonance experiments, we show how competitive antagonists rupture the ligand binding domain (LBD) gating "ring," how agonists retain the ring in a dimer-of-dimers configuration, and how allosteric inhibitors, acting within the amino terminal domain, further stabilize the LBD layer. These studies illuminate how the LBD gating ring is fundamental to signal transduction and gating in NMDARs.

The Good and Bad Sides of NAAG

Why has such a small peptide been the source of controversy in neuroscience over the last 5 decades? Is N-acetyl-aspartyl-glutamate (NAAG) a neurotransmitter? Is NAAG located in neuronal tissue or in astrocytes? Is NAAG involved in neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders? Is NAAG therapeutically beneficial in the treatment of stroke or in initiating cascades of events leading to psychosis? After many years of intense research there is no clear consensus within the scientific community on how NAAG behaves in the brain. One of the major controversies about NAAG is its physiological action at N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. While some researchers strongly argue that NAAG acts as a weak agonist at NMDA receptors, others have suggested that NAAG could behave as a potent antagonist. Published data from our laboratory demonstrate that the effect of NAAG on NMDA receptors could be influenced by a number of factors including the subcellular localization and subunit composition of NMDA receptors, as well as protons. In this chapter, we will summarize the knowledge of the literature on NAAG, however, we will place emphasis on our recently published data. More specifically, we have reported interesting findings on the effects of NAAG on NMDA receptors at synaptic and extrasynaptic sites using a pharmacological paradigm to distinguish the two populations of NMDA receptors. Additionally, we have evaluated the role of NAAG on GluN2A- and GluN2B-containing NMDA receptors using a HEK293 cell recombinant system. Finally, we have studied the effects of NAAG on GluN2A- and GluN2B-containing NMDA receptors in different extracellular pH conditions. We believe that our findings could potentially resolve some aspects of the debate regarding the role of NAAG at NMDA receptors.

Positive Allosteric Modulators of GluN2A-Containing NMDARs with Distinct Modes of Action and Impacts on Circuit Function

To enhance physiological function of NMDA receptors (NMDARs), we identified positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of NMDARs with selectivity for GluN2A subunit-containing receptors. X-ray crystallography revealed a binding site at the GluN1-GluN2A dimer interface of the extracellular ligand-binding domains (LBDs). Despite the similarity between the LBDs of NMDARs and AMPA receptors (AMPARs), GluN2A PAMs with good selectivity against AMPARs were identified. Potentiation was observed with recombinant triheteromeric GluN1/GluN2A/GluN2B NMDARs and with synaptically activated NMDARs in brain slices from wild-type (WT), but not GluN2A knockout (KO), mice. Individual GluN2A PAMs exhibited variable degrees of glutamate (Glu) dependence, impact on NMDAR Glu EC50, and slowing of channel deactivation. These distinct PAMs also exhibited differential impacts during synaptic plasticity induction. The identification of a new NMDAR modulatory site and characterization of GluN2A-selective PAMs provide powerful molecular tools to dissect NMDAR function and demonstrate the feasibility of a therapeutically desirable type of NMDAR enhancement.

The N-terminal domain of the GluN3A subunit determines the efficacy of glycine-activated NMDA receptors

N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors composed of glycine-binding GluN1 and GluN3 subunits function as excitatory glycine receptors that respond to agonist application only with a very low efficacy. Binding of glycine to the high-affinity GluN3 subunits triggers channel opening, whereas glycine binding to the low-affinity GluN1 subunits causes an auto-inhibition of the maximal glycine-inducible receptor current (Imax). Hence, competitive antagonists of the GluN1 subunit strongly potentiate glycine responses of wild type (wt) GluN1/GluN3 receptors. Here, we show that co-expression of N-terminal domain (NTD) deleted GluN1 (GluN1(ΔNTD)) and GluN3 (GluN3(ΔNTD)) subunits in Xenopus oocytes generates GluN1/GluN3 receptors with a large increase in the glycine-inducible Imax accompanied by a strongly impaired GluN1 antagonist-mediated potentiation. Affinity purification after metabolic or surface labeling revealed no differences in subunit stoichiometry and surface expression between wt GluN1/GluN3A and mutant GluN1(ΔNTD)/GluN3A(ΔNTD) receptors, indicating a specific effect of NTD deletions on the efficacy of receptor opening. Notably, GluN1/GluN3A(ΔNTD) receptors showed a similar increase in Imax and a greatly reduced GluN1 antagonist-mediated current potentiation as GluN1(ΔNTD)/GluN3A(ΔNTD) receptors, whereas the glycine-induced currents of GluN1(ΔNTD)/GluN3A receptors resembled those of wt GluN1/GluN3A receptors. Furthermore, oxidative crosslinking of the homophilic GluN3A NTD intersubunit interface in mutant GluN1/GluN3A(R319C) receptors caused both a decrease in the glycine-induced Imax concomitantly with a marked increase in GluN1 antagonist-mediated current potentiation, whilst mutations within the intrasubunit region linking the GluN3A NTD to the ligand binding domain had opposite effects. Together these results show that the GluN3A NTD constitutes a crucial regulatory determinant of GluN1/GluN3A receptor function.

Structure, Dynamics, and Allosteric Potential of Ionotropic Glutamate Receptor N-Terminal Domains

Ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) are tetrameric cation channels that mediate synaptic transmission and plasticity. They have a unique modular architecture with four domains: the intracellular C-terminal domain (CTD) that is involved in synaptic targeting, the transmembrane domain (TMD) that forms the ion channel, the membrane-proximal ligand-binding domain (LBD) that binds agonists such as L-glutamate, and the distal N-terminal domain (NTD), whose function is the least clear. The extracellular portion, comprised of the LBD and NTD, is loosely arranged, mediating complex allosteric regulation and providing a rich target for drug development. Here, we briefly review recent work on iGluR NTD structure and dynamics, and further explore the allosteric potential for the NTD in AMPA-type iGluRs using coarse-grained simulations. We also investigate mechanisms underlying the established NTD allostery in NMDA-type iGluRs, as well as the fold-related metabotropic glutamate and GABAB receptors. We show that the clamshell motions intrinsically favored by the NTD bilobate fold are coupled to dimeric and higher-order rearrangements that impact the iGluR LBD and ultimately the TMD. Finally, we explore the dynamics of intact iGluRs and describe how it might affect receptor operation in a synaptic environment.

Cooperative Dynamics of Intact AMPA and NMDA Glutamate Receptors: Similarities and Subfamily-Specific Differences

Ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) are tetrameric ion channels that mediate excitatory neurotransmission. Recent structures of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionate (AMPA) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors permit a comparative analysis of whole-receptor dynamics for the first time. Despite substantial differences in the packing of their two-domain extracellular region, the two iGluRs share similar dynamics, elucidated by elastic network models. Motions accessible to either structure enable conformational interconversion, such as compression of the AMPA receptor toward the more tightly packed NMDA receptor conformation, which has been linked to allosteric regulation. Pivoting motions coupled to concerted rotations of the transmembrane ion channel are prominent between dimers of distal N-terminal domains in the loosely packed AMPA receptor. The occurrence and functional relevance of these motions is verified by cross-linking experiments designed to probe the computationally predicted distance changes. Together with the identification of hotspot residues acting as mediators of allosteric communication, our data provide a glimpse into the dynamic spectrum of iGluRs.

Controlling NMDA receptor subunit composition using ectopic retention signals

Ligand-gated ion channels (LGICs) mediate fast synaptic transmission in the CNS. Typically, these membrane proteins are multimeric complexes associating several homologous subunits around a central pore. Because of the large repertoire of subunits within each family, LGICs exist in vivo as multiple subtypes that differ in subunit composition and functional properties. Establishing the specific properties of individual receptor subtypes remains a major goal in the field of neuroscience and molecular pharmacology. However, isolating specific receptor subtype in recombinant systems can be problematic because of the mixture of receptor populations. This is the case for NMDA receptors (NMDARs), a large family of tetrameric glutamate-gated ion channels that play key roles in brain physiology and pathology. A significant fraction of native NMDARs are triheteromers composed of two GluN1 subunits and two different GluN2 subunits (GluN2A-D). We developed a method based on dual retention signals adapted from G-protein-coupled GABA-B receptors allowing exclusive cell surface expression of triheteromeric rat NMDARs while coexpressed diheteromeric receptors (which contain a single type of GluN2 subunit) are retained intracellularly. Using this approach, we determined the functional properties of GluN1/GluN2A/GluN2B triheteromers, one of the most abundant NMDAR subtypes in the adult forebrain, revealing their unique gating and pharmacological attributes. We envision applicability of the retention signal approach for the study of a variety of heteromeric glutamate-gated ion channel receptors with defined subunit composition.

Context-dependent GluN2B-selective inhibitors of NMDA receptor function are neuroprotective with minimal side effects

Stroke remains a significant problem despite decades of work on neuroprotective strategies. NMDA receptor (NMDAR) antagonists are neuroprotective in preclinical models, but have been clinically unsuccessful, in part due to side effects. Here we describe a prototypical GluN2B-selective antagonist with an IC50 value that is 10-fold more potent at acidic pH 6.9 associated with ischemic tissue compared to pH 7.6, a value close to the pH in healthy brain tissue. This should maximize neuroprotection in ischemic tissue while minimizing on-target side effects associated with NMDAR blockade in noninjured brain regions. We have determined the mechanism underlying pH-dependent inhibition and demonstrate the utility of this approach in vivo. We also identify dicarboxylate dimers as a novel proton sensor in proteins. These results provide insight into the molecular basis of pH-dependent neuroprotective NMDAR block, which could be beneficial in a wide range of neurological insults associated with tissue acidification.

Molecular bases of NMDA receptor subtype-dependent properties

NMDA receptors (NMDARs) are a class of ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) that are essential for neuronal development, synaptic plasticity, learning and cell survival. Several features distinguish NMDARs from other iGluRs and underlie the crucial roles NMDARs play in nervous system physiology. NMDARs display slow deactivation kinetics, are highly Ca(2+) permeable, and require depolarization to relieve channel block by external Mg(2+) ions, thereby making them effective coincidence detectors. These properties and others differ among NMDAR subtypes, which are defined by the subunits that compose the receptor. NMDARs, which are heterotetrameric, commonly are composed of two GluN1 subunits and two GluN2 subunits, of which there are four types, GluN2A-D. 'Diheteromeric' NMDARs contain two identical GluN2 subunits. Gating and ligand-binding properties (e.g. deactivation kinetics) and channel properties (e.g. channel block by Mg(2+)) depend strongly on the GluN2 subunit contained in diheteromeric NMDARs. Recent work shows that two distinct regions of GluN2 subunits control most diheteromeric NMDAR subtype-dependent properties: the N-terminal domain is responsible for most subtype dependence of gating and ligand-binding properties; a single residue difference between GluN2 subunits at a site termed the GluN2 S/L site is responsible for most subtype dependence of channel properties. Thus, two structurally and functionally distinct regions underlie the majority of subtype dependence of NMDAR properties. This topical review highlights recent studies of recombinant diheteromeric NMDARs that uncovered the involvement of the N-terminal domain and of the GluN2 S/L site in the subtype dependence of NMDAR properties.

Multiple spatial and kinetic subpopulations of CaMKII in spines and dendrites as resolved by single-molecule tracking PALM

Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is essential for synaptic plasticity underlying memory formation. Some functions of CaMKII are mediated by interactions with synaptic proteins, and activity-triggered translocation of CaMKII to synapses has been heavily studied. However, CaMKII actions away from the postsynaptic density (PSD) remain poorly understood, in part because of the difficulty in discerning where CaMKII binds in live cells. We used photoactivated localization microscopy (PALM) in rat hippocampal neurons to track single molecules of CaMKIIα, mapping its spatial and kinetic heterogeneity at high resolution. We found that CaMKIIα exhibits at least three kinetic subpopulations, even within individual spines. Latrunculin application or coexpression of CaMKIIβ carrying its actin-binding domain strongly modulated CaMKII diffusion, indicating that a major subpopulation is regulated by the actin cytoskeleton. CaMKII in spines was typically more slowly mobile than in dendrites, consistent with presence of a higher density of binding partners or obstacles. Importantly, NMDA receptor stimulation that triggered CaMKII activation prompted the immobilization and presumed binding of CaMKII in spines not only at PSDs but also at other points up to several hundred nanometers away, suggesting that activated kinase does not target only the PSD. Consistent with this, single endogenous activated CaMKII molecules detected via STORM immunocytochemistry were concentrated in spines both at the PSD and at points quite distant from the synapse. Together, these results indicate that CaMKII mobility within spines is determined by association with multiple interacting proteins, even outside the PSD, suggesting diverse mechanisms by which CaMKII may regulate synaptic transmission.

NMDA receptor structures reveal subunit arrangement and pore architecture

N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are Hebbian-like coincidence detectors, requiring binding of glycine and glutamate in combination with the relief of voltage-dependent magnesium block to open an ion conductive pore across the membrane bilayer. Despite the importance of the NMDA receptor in the development and function of the brain, a molecular structure of an intact receptor has remained elusive. Here we present x-ray crystal structures of the GluN1/GluN2B NMDA receptor with the allosteric inhibitor, Ro25-6981, partial agonists and the ion channel blocker, MK-801. Receptor subunits are arranged in a 1-2-1-2 fashion, demonstrating extensive interactions between the amino terminal and ligand binding domains. The transmembrane domains harbor a closed-blocked ion channel, a pyramidal central vestibule lined by residues implicated in binding ion channel blockers and magnesium, and a ~2-fold symmetric arrangement of ion channel pore loops. These structures provide new insights into the architecture, allosteric coupling and ion channel function of NMDA receptors.

Photoinactivation of glutamate receptors by genetically encoded unnatural amino acids

Ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) are ubiquitous in the mammalian brain, and the AMPA-subtype is essential for fast, glutamate-activated postsynaptic currents. We incorporated photoactive crosslinkers into AMPA receptors using genetically encoded unnatural amino acid mutagenesis in a mammalian cell line. Receptors rescued by incorporation of unnatural amino acids, including p-benzoyl-l-phenylalanine (BzF, also known as Bpa), had largely similar properties to wild-type channels and were expressed at similar levels. BzF incorporation at subunit interfaces afforded photocrosslinking of subunits, as assessed by biochemical experiments. In electrophysiological recordings, BzF incorporation allowed selective and potent UV-driven photoinactivation of both homomeric (GluA2) and heteromeric (GluA2:GluA1) AMPA receptors. State dependence of trapping at two sites in the lower lobe of the ligand binding domain is consistent with deformation of these domains as well as intersubunit rearrangements during AMPA receptor desensitization.

A conformational intermediate in glutamate receptor activation

Ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) transduce the chemical signal of neurotransmitter release into membrane depolarization at excitatory synapses in the brain. The opening of the transmembrane ion channel of these ligand-gated receptors is driven by conformational transitions that are induced by the association of glutamate molecules to the ligand-binding domains (LBDs). Here, we describe the crystal structure of a GluA2 LBD tetramer in a configuration that involves an ∼30° rotation of the LBD dimers relative to the crystal structure of the full-length receptor. The configuration is stabilized by an engineered disulfide crosslink. Biochemical and electrophysiological studies on full-length receptors incorporating either this crosslink or an engineered metal bridge show that this LBD configuration corresponds to an intermediate state of receptor activation. GluA2 activation therefore involves a combination of both intra-LBD (cleft closure) and inter-LBD dimer conformational transitions. Overall, these results provide a comprehensive structural characterization of an iGluR intermediate state.

Defining the structural relationship between kainate-receptor deactivation and desensitization

Desensitization is an important mechanism curtailing the activity of ligand-gated ion channels (LGICs). Although the structural basis of desensitization is not fully resolved, it is thought to be governed by physicochemical properties of bound ligands. Here, we show the importance of an allosteric cation-binding pocket in controlling transitions between activated and desensitized states of rat kainate-type (KAR) ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs). Tethering a positive charge to this pocket sustains KAR activation, preventing desensitization, whereas mutations that disrupt cation binding eliminate channel gating. These different outcomes explain the structural distinction between deactivation and desensitization. Deactivation occurs when the ligand unbinds before the cation, whereas desensitization proceeds if a ligand is bound without cation pocket occupancy. This sequence of events is absent from AMPA-type iGluRs; thus, cations are identified as gatekeepers of KAR gating, a role unique among even closely related LGICs.

Amino-terminal domain tetramer organization and structural effects of zinc binding in the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor

N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors mediate excitatory neurotransmission in the mammalian central nervous system. An important feature of these receptors is their capacity for allosteric regulation by small molecules, such as zinc, which bind to their amino-terminal domain (ATD). Zinc inhibition through high affinity binding to the ATD has been examined through functional studies; however, there is no direct measurement of associated conformational changes. We used luminescence resonance energy transfer to show that the ATDs undergo a cleft closure-like conformational change upon binding zinc, but no changes are observed in intersubunit distances. Furthermore, we find that the ATDs are more closely packed than the related AMPA receptors. These results suggest that the stability of the upper lobe contacts between ATDs allow for the efficient propagation of the cleft closure conformational change toward the ligand-binding domain and transmembrane segments, ultimately inhibiting the channel.

Structural determinants of agonist efficacy at the glutamate binding site of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors

N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are ligand-gated ion channels assembled from GluN1 and GluN2 subunits. We used a series of N-hydroxypyrazole-5-glycine (NHP5G) partial agonists at the GluN2 glutamate binding site as tools to study activation of GluN1/GluN2A and GluN1/GluN2D NMDA receptor subtypes. Using two-electrode voltage-clamp electrophysiology, fast-application patch-clamp, and single-channel recordings, we show that propyl- and ethyl-substituted NHP5G agonists have a broad range of agonist efficacies relative to the full agonist glutamate (<1-72%). Crystal structures of the agonist binding domains (ABDs) of GluN2A and GluN2D do not reveal any differences in the overall domain conformation induced by binding of the full agonist glutamate or the partial agonist propyl-NHP5G, which is strikingly different from ABD structures of 2-amino-3-(3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazol-4-yl)propanoate (AMPA) and kainate receptors bound to full and partial agonists. Subsequent evaluation of relative NHP5G agonist efficacy at GluN2A-GluN2D chimeric subunits implicates the amino-terminal domain (ATD) as a strong determinant of agonist efficacy, suggesting that interdomain interactions between the ABD and the ATD may be a central element in controlling the manner by which agonist binding leads to channel opening. We propose that variation in the overall receptor conformation, which is strongly influenced by the nature of interdomain interactions in resting and active states, mediates differences in agonist efficacy and partial agonism at the GluN2 subunits.

Allosteric signaling and dynamics of the clamshell-like NMDA receptor GluN1 N-terminal domain

N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs), neuronal glutamate-gated ion channels, are obligatory heterotetramers composed of GluN1 and GluN2 subunits. Each subunit contains two extracellular clamshell-like domains with an agonist-binding domain and a distal N-terminal domain (NTD). The GluN2 NTDs form mobile regulatory domains. In contrast, the dynamics of GluN1 NTD and its contribution to NMDAR function remain poorly understood. Here we show that GluN1 NTD is neither static nor functionally silent. Perturbing the conformation of GluN1 NTD affects both receptor gating and pharmacological properties. GluN1 NTD undergoes structural rearrangements that involve hinge bending and large twisting and untwisting motions, allowing for new intra- and intersubunit contacts. GluN1 NTD acts in trans with GluN2 NTD to influence binding of glutamate but, notably, not of GluN1 coagonist glycine. Our work uncovers a dynamic role of GluN1 NTD in controlling NMDAR function through new interdomain allosteric interactions.

Contribution of the M1 transmembrane helix and pre-M1 region to positive allosteric modulation and gating of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors

N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are glutamate-gated ion channels whose function is critical for normal excitatory synaptic transmission in the brain and whose dysfunction has been implicated in several neurologic conditions. NMDA receptor function is subject to extensive allosteric regulation both by endogenous compounds and by exogenous small molecules. Elucidating the structural determinants and mechanism of action by which allosteric regulators control gating will enhance our understanding of NMDA receptor activation and facilitate the development of novel therapeutics. Here, we investigated the structural determinants for (3-chlorophenyl)(6,7-dimethoxy-1-((4-methoxyphenoxy)methyl)-3,4-dihydroisoquinolin-2(1H)-yl)methanone (CIQ), a GluN2C/2D-selective positive allosteric modulator. We show that CIQ does not bind to the amino-terminal domain of the NMDA receptor and does not share structural determinants with modulators acting at the agonist-binding domain dimer interface or ion channel pore. Rather, we identified critical determinants of CIQ modulation in the region near the first transmembrane helix of GluN2D, including in a putative pre-M1 cuff helix that may influence channel gating. We also show that mutations within the GluN2D pre-M1 region alter open probability of the NMDA receptor. These results suggest a novel site of action for potentiation of NMDA receptors by small molecules and implicate the pre-M1 region in NMDA receptor gating.

Expanding the genetic code in Xenopus laevis oocytes

Heterologous expression of ligand-gated ion channels (LGICs) in Xenopus laevis oocytes combined with site-directed mutagenesis has been demonstrated to be a powerful approach to study structure-function relationships. In particular, introducing unnatural amino acids (UAAs) has enabled modifications that are not found in natural proteins. However, the current strategy relies on the technically demanding in vitro synthesis of aminoacylated suppressor tRNA. We report here a general method that circumvents this limitation by utilizing orthogonal aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (aaRS)/suppressor tRNA(CUA) pairs to genetically encode UAAs in Xenopus oocytes. We show that UAAs inserted in the N-terminal domain of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) serve as photo-crosslinkers that lock the receptor in a discrete conformational state in response to UV photo treatment. Our method should be generally applicable to studies of other LGICs in Xenopus oocytes.