1
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Dietzen NM, Arcario MJ, Chen LJ, Petroff JT, Moreland KT, Krishnan K, Brannigan G, Covey DF, Cheng WW. Polyunsaturated fatty acids inhibit a pentameric ligand-gated ion channel through one of two binding sites. eLife 2022; 11:74306. [PMID: 34982031 PMCID: PMC8786314 DOI: 10.7554/elife.74306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) inhibit pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) but the mechanism of inhibition is not well understood. The PUFA, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), inhibits agonist responses of the pLGIC, ELIC, more effectively than palmitic acid, similar to the effects observed in the GABAA receptor and nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. Using photo-affinity labeling and coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations, we identified two fatty acid binding sites in the outer transmembrane domain (TMD) of ELIC. Fatty acid binding to the photolabeled sites is selective for DHA over palmitic acid, and specific for an agonist-bound state. Hexadecyl-methanethiosulfonate modification of one of the two fatty acid binding sites in the outer TMD recapitulates the inhibitory effect of PUFAs in ELIC. The results demonstrate that DHA selectively binds to multiple sites in the outer TMD of ELIC, but that state-dependent binding to a single intrasubunit site mediates DHA inhibition of ELIC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah M Dietzen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, United States
| | - Mark J Arcario
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, United States
| | - Lawrence J Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, United States
| | - John T Petroff
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, United States
| | - K Trent Moreland
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, United States
| | - Kathiresan Krishnan
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, United States
| | - Grace Brannigan
- Center for the Computational and Integrative Biology, Rutgers University, Camden, United States.,Department of Physics, Rutgers University, Camden, United States
| | - Douglas F Covey
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, United States.,Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, United States.,Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, United States.,Taylor Institute for Innovative Psychiatric Research, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, United States
| | - Wayland Wl Cheng
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, United States
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2
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Rovšnik U, Zhuang Y, Forsberg BO, Carroni M, Yvonnesdotter L, Howard RJ, Lindahl E. Dynamic closed states of a ligand-gated ion channel captured by cryo-EM and simulations. Life Sci Alliance 2021; 4:e202101011. [PMID: 34210687 PMCID: PMC8326787 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202101011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Ligand-gated ion channels are critical mediators of electrochemical signal transduction across evolution. Biophysical and pharmacological characterization of these receptor proteins relies on high-quality structures in multiple, subtly distinct functional states. However, structural data in this family remain limited, particularly for resting and intermediate states on the activation pathway. Here, we report cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of the proton-activated Gloeobacter violaceus ligand-gated ion channel (GLIC) under three pH conditions. Decreased pH was associated with improved resolution and side chain rearrangements at the subunit/domain interface, particularly involving functionally important residues in the β1-β2 and M2-M3 loops. Molecular dynamics simulations substantiated flexibility in the closed-channel extracellular domains relative to the transmembrane ones and supported electrostatic remodeling around E35 and E243 in proton-induced gating. Exploration of secondary cryo-EM classes further indicated a low-pH population with an expanded pore. These results allow us to define distinct protonation and activation steps in pH-stimulated conformational cycling in GLIC, including interfacial rearrangements largely conserved in the pentameric channel family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urška Rovšnik
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm University, Solna, Sweden
| | - Yuxuan Zhuang
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm University, Solna, Sweden
| | - Björn O Forsberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm University, Solna, Sweden
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Marta Carroni
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm University, Solna, Sweden
| | - Linnea Yvonnesdotter
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm University, Solna, Sweden
| | - Rebecca J Howard
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm University, Solna, Sweden
| | - Erik Lindahl
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm University, Solna, Sweden
- Department of Applied Physics, Science for Life Laboratory, Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan Royal Institute of Technology, Solna, Sweden
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3
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Elephants in the Dark: Insights and Incongruities in Pentameric Ligand-gated Ion Channel Models. J Mol Biol 2021; 433:167128. [PMID: 34224751 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The superfamily of pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) comprises key players in electrochemical signal transduction across evolution, including historic model systems for receptor allostery and targets for drug development. Accordingly, structural studies of these channels have steadily increased, and now approach 250 depositions in the protein data bank. This review contextualizes currently available structures in the pLGIC family, focusing on morphology, ligand binding, and gating in three model subfamilies: the prokaryotic channel GLIC, the cation-selective nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, and the anion-selective glycine receptor. Common themes include the challenging process of capturing and annotating channels in distinct functional states; partially conserved gating mechanisms, including remodeling at the extracellular/transmembrane-domain interface; and diversity beyond the protein level, arising from posttranslational modifications, ligands, lipids, and signaling partners. Interpreting pLGIC structures can be compared to describing an elephant in the dark, relying on touch alone to comprehend the many parts of a monumental beast: each structure represents a snapshot in time under specific experimental conditions, which must be integrated with further structure, function, and simulations data to build a comprehensive model, and understand how one channel may fundamentally differ from another.
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4
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Sharp L, Brannigan G. Spontaneous lipid binding to the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in a native membrane. J Chem Phys 2021; 154:185102. [PMID: 34241006 DOI: 10.1063/5.0046333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) and other pentameric ligand-gated ion channels are native to neuronal membranes with an unusual lipid composition. While it is well-established that these receptors can be significantly modulated by lipids, the underlying mechanisms have been primarily studied in model membranes with few lipid species. Here, we use coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulation to probe specific binding of lipids in a complex quasi-neuronal membrane. We ran a total of 50 μs of simulations of a single nAChR in a membrane composed of 36 species of lipids. Competition between multiple lipid species produces a complex distribution. We find that overall, cholesterol selects for concave inter-subunit sites and polyunsaturated fatty acids select for convex M4 sites, while monounsaturated and saturated lipids are unenriched in the nAChR boundary. We propose the "density-threshold affinity" as a metric calculated from continuous density distributions, which reduces to a standard affinity in two-state binding. We find that the density-threshold affinity for M4 weakens with chain rigidity, which suggests that flexible chains may help relax packing defects caused by the conical protein shape. For any site, PE headgroups have the strongest affinity of all phospholipid headgroups, but anionic lipids still yield moderately high affinities for the M4 sites as expected. We observe cooperative effects between anionic headgroups and saturated chains at the M4 site in the inner leaflet. We also analyze affinities for individual anionic headgroups. When combined, these insights may reconcile several apparently contradictory experiments on the role of anionic phospholipids in modulating nAChR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam Sharp
- Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Rutgers University-Camden, Camden, New Jersey 08102, USA
| | - Grace Brannigan
- Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Rutgers University-Camden, Camden, New Jersey 08102, USA
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5
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Bondarenko V, Wells MM, Chen Q, Singewald KC, Saxena S, Xu Y, Tang P. 19F Paramagnetic Relaxation-Based NMR for Quaternary Structural Restraints of Ion Channels. ACS Chem Biol 2019; 14:2160-2165. [PMID: 31525026 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.9b00692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Quaternary distance restraints are essential to define the three-dimensional structures of protein assemblies. These distances often fall within a range of 10-18 Å, which challenges the high and low measurement limits of conventional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and double electron-electron resonance electron spin resonance spectroscopies. Here, we report the use of 19F paramagnetic relaxation enhancement (PRE) NMR in combination with 19F/paramagnetic labeling to equivalent sites in different subunits of a protein complex in micelles to determine intersubunit distances. The feasibility of this strategy was evaluated on a pentameric ligand-gated ion channel, for which we found excellent agreement of the 19F PRE NMR results with previous structural information. The study suggests that 19F PRE NMR is a viable tool in extracting distance restraints to define quaternary structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasyl Bondarenko
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Marta M. Wells
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Qiang Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Kevin C. Singewald
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Sunil Saxena
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Yan Xu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Pei Tang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
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6
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Fourati Z, Howard RJ, Heusser SA, Hu H, Ruza RR, Sauguet L, Lindahl E, Delarue M. Structural Basis for a Bimodal Allosteric Mechanism of General Anesthetic Modulation in Pentameric Ligand-Gated Ion Channels. Cell Rep 2019; 23:993-1004. [PMID: 29694907 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.03.108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2017] [Revised: 02/02/2018] [Accepted: 03/23/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Ion channel modulation by general anesthetics is a vital pharmacological process with implications for receptor biophysics and drug development. Functional studies have implicated conserved sites of both potentiation and inhibition in pentameric ligand-gated ion channels, but a detailed structural mechanism for these bimodal effects is lacking. The prokaryotic model protein GLIC recapitulates anesthetic modulation of human ion channels, and it is accessible to structure determination in both apparent open and closed states. Here, we report ten X-ray structures and electrophysiological characterization of GLIC variants in the presence and absence of general anesthetics, including the surgical agent propofol. We show that general anesthetics can allosterically favor closed channels by binding in the pore or favor open channels via various subsites in the transmembrane domain. Our results support an integrated, multi-site mechanism for allosteric modulation, and they provide atomic details of both potentiation and inhibition by one of the most common general anesthetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaineb Fourati
- Unit of Structural Dynamics of Macromolecules, Institut Pasteur and UMR 3528 du CNRS, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Rebecca J Howard
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm University, 17165 Solna, Sweden
| | - Stephanie A Heusser
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm University, 17165 Solna, Sweden
| | - Haidai Hu
- Unit of Structural Dynamics of Macromolecules, Institut Pasteur and UMR 3528 du CNRS, 75015 Paris, France; Sorbonne Universités, UPMC University Paris 6, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Reinis R Ruza
- Unit of Structural Dynamics of Macromolecules, Institut Pasteur and UMR 3528 du CNRS, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Ludovic Sauguet
- Unit of Structural Dynamics of Macromolecules, Institut Pasteur and UMR 3528 du CNRS, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Erik Lindahl
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm University, 17165 Solna, Sweden; Swedish e-Science Research Center, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 11428 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marc Delarue
- Unit of Structural Dynamics of Macromolecules, Institut Pasteur and UMR 3528 du CNRS, 75015 Paris, France.
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7
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Oliveira ASF, Shoemark DK, Campello HR, Wonnacott S, Gallagher T, Sessions RB, Mulholland AJ. Identification of the Initial Steps in Signal Transduction in the α4β2 Nicotinic Receptor: Insights from Equilibrium and Nonequilibrium Simulations. Structure 2019; 27:1171-1183.e3. [PMID: 31130483 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2019.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2018] [Revised: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) modulate synaptic transmission in the nervous system. These receptors have emerged as therapeutic targets in drug discovery for treating several conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, pain, and nicotine addiction. In this in silico study, we use a combination of equilibrium and nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations to map dynamic and structural changes induced by nicotine in the human α4β2 nAChR. They reveal a striking pattern of communication between the extracellular binding pockets and the transmembrane domains (TMDs) and show the sequence of conformational changes associated with the initial steps in this process. We propose a general mechanism for signal transduction for Cys-loop receptors: the mechanistic steps for communication proceed firstly through loop C in the principal subunit, and are subsequently transmitted, gradually and cumulatively, to loop F of the complementary subunit, and then to the TMDs through the M2-M3 linker.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Sofia F Oliveira
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1DT, UK; Centre for Computational Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK
| | | | - Hugo Rego Campello
- Centre for Computational Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK
| | - Susan Wonnacott
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Timothy Gallagher
- Centre for Computational Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK
| | | | - Adrian J Mulholland
- Centre for Computational Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK.
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8
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Crnjar A, Comitani F, Melis C, Molteni C. Mutagenesis computer experiments in pentameric ligand-gated ion channels: the role of simulation tools with different resolution. Interface Focus 2019; 9:20180067. [PMID: 31065340 PMCID: PMC6501341 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2018.0067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) are an important class of widely expressed membrane neuroreceptors, which play a crucial role in fast synaptic communications and are involved in several neurological conditions. They are activated by the binding of neurotransmitters, which trigger the transmission of an electrical signal via facilitated ion flux. They can also be activated, inhibited or modulated by a number of drugs. Mutagenesis electrophysiology experiments, with natural or unnatural amino acids, have provided a large body of functional data that, together with emerging structural information from X-ray spectroscopy and cryo-electron microscopy, are helping unravel the complex working mechanisms of these neuroreceptors. Computer simulations are complementing these mutagenesis experiments, with insights at various levels of accuracy and resolution. Here, we review how a selection of computational tools, including first principles methods, classical molecular dynamics and enhanced sampling techniques, are contributing to construct a picture of how pLGICs function and can be pharmacologically targeted to treat the disorders they are responsible for.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Crnjar
- King’s College London, Department of Physics, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Federico Comitani
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Claudio Melis
- Universitá degli Studi di Cagliari, Complesso Universitario di Monserrato, Dipartimento di Fisica, S.P. Monserrato-Sestu Km 0,700, Monserrato (CA) 09042, Italy
| | - Carla Molteni
- King’s College London, Department of Physics, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, UK
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9
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Hemmings HC, Riegelhaupt PM, Kelz MB, Solt K, Eckenhoff RG, Orser BA, Goldstein PA. Towards a Comprehensive Understanding of Anesthetic Mechanisms of Action: A Decade of Discovery. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2019; 40:464-481. [PMID: 31147199 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2019.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Revised: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Significant progress has been made in the 21st century towards a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms of action of general anesthetics, coincident with progress in structural biology and molecular, cellular, and systems neuroscience. This review summarizes important new findings that include target identification through structural determination of anesthetic binding sites, details of receptors and ion channels involved in neurotransmission, and the critical roles of neuronal networks in anesthetic effects on memory and consciousness. These recent developments provide a comprehensive basis for conceptualizing pharmacological control of amnesia, unconsciousness, and immobility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugh C Hemmings
- Departments of Anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA; Departments of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Paul M Riegelhaupt
- Departments of Anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Max B Kelz
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 3620 Hamilton Walk, 305 John Morgan, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ken Solt
- Department of Anaesthesia, Harvard Medical School, GRB 444, 55 Fruit St., Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Roderic G Eckenhoff
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 3620 Hamilton Walk, 305 John Morgan, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Beverley A Orser
- Departments of Anesthesia and Physiology, Room 3318 Medical Sciences Building, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Peter A Goldstein
- Departments of Anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA; Departments of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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10
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Abstract
The pentameric γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors are ion channels activated by ligands, which intervene in the rapid inhibitory transmission in the mammalian CNS. Due to their rich pharmacology and therapeutic potential, it is essential to understand their structure and function thoroughly. This deep characterization was hampered by the lack of experimental structural information for many years. Thus, computational techniques have been extensively combined with experimental data, in order to undertake the study of γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors and their interaction with drugs. Here, we review the exciting journey made to assess the structures of these receptors and outline major outcomes. Finally, we discuss the brand new structure of the α1β2γ2 subtype and the amazing advances it brings to the field.
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11
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Oakes V, Domene C. Capturing the Molecular Mechanism of Anesthetic Action by Simulation Methods. Chem Rev 2018; 119:5998-6014. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.8b00366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Oakes
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, United Kingdom
| | - Carmen Domene
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, United Kingdom
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TA, United Kingdom
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12
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Structural basis of neurosteroid anesthetic action on GABA A receptors. Nat Commun 2018; 9:3972. [PMID: 30266951 PMCID: PMC6162318 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06361-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 08/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Type A γ-aminobutyric acid receptors (GABAARs) are inhibitory pentameric ligand-gated ion channels in the brain. Many anesthetics and neurosteroids act through binding to the GABAAR transmembrane domain (TMD), but the structural basis of their actions is not well understood and no resting-state GABAAR structure has been determined. Here, we report crystal structures of apo and the neurosteroid anesthetic alphaxalone-bound desensitized chimeric α1GABAAR (ELIC-α1GABAAR). The chimera retains the functional and pharmacological properties of GABAARs, including potentiation, activation and desensitization by alphaxalone. The apo-state structure reveals an unconventional activation gate at the intracellular end of the pore. The desensitized structure illustrates molecular determinants for alphaxalone binding to an inter-subunit TMD site. These structures suggest a plausible signaling pathway from alphaxalone binding at the bottom of the TMD to the channel gate in the pore-lining TM2 through the TM1–TM2 linker. The study provides a framework to discover new GABAAR modulators with therapeutic potential. The anesthetic alphaxalone binds γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors (GABAARs) that play an important role in regulating sensory processes. Here the authors present the structures of a α1GABAAR chimera in the resting state and in an alphaxalone-bound desensitized state, which might facilitate the development of new GABAAR modulators.
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13
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Physical Accuracy Leads to Biological Relevance: Best Practices For Simulating Ligand-Gated Ion Channels Interacting With General Anesthetics. Methods Enzymol 2018. [PMID: 29588036 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2018.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
Abstract
Efforts to detect binding modes of general anesthetics (GAs) for pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) are often complicated by a large number of indicated sites, as well as the challenges of ranking sites by affinity and determining which sites are occupied at clinical concentrations. Physics-based computational methods offer a powerful route for determining affinities of ligands to isolated binding sites, but preserving accuracy is essential. This chapter describes a step-by-step approach to multiple methods for identifying candidate sites and quantifying binding affinities and also discusses limitations and common pitfalls.
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14
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Chen Q, Xu Y, Tang P. X-Ray Crystallographic Studies for Revealing Binding Sites of General Anesthetics in Pentameric Ligand-Gated Ion Channels. Methods Enzymol 2018; 603:21-47. [PMID: 29673527 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2018.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
X-ray crystallography is a powerful tool in structural biology and can offer insight into structured-based understanding of general anesthetic action on various relevant molecular targets, including pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs). In this chapter, we outline the procedures for expression and purification of pLGICs. Optimization of crystallization conditions, especially to achieve high-resolution structures of pLGICs bound with general anesthetics, is also presented. Case studies of pLGICs bound with the volatile general anesthetic isoflurane, 2-bromoethanol, and the intravenous general anesthetic ketamine are revisited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Chen
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Yan Xu
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Pei Tang
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.
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15
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Bondarenko V, Wells M, Xu Y, Tang P. Solution NMR Studies of Anesthetic Interactions with Ion Channels. Methods Enzymol 2018; 603:49-66. [PMID: 29673534 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2018.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
NMR spectroscopy is one of the major tools to provide atomic resolution protein structural information. It has been used to elucidate the molecular details of interactions between anesthetics and ion channels, to identify anesthetic binding sites, and to characterize channel dynamics and changes introduced by anesthetics. In this chapter, we present solution NMR methods essential for investigating interactions between ion channels and general anesthetics, including both volatile and intravenous anesthetics. Case studies are provided with a focus on pentameric ligand-gated ion channels and the voltage-gated sodium channel NaChBac.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasyl Bondarenko
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Marta Wells
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Yan Xu
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Pei Tang
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.
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16
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Abstract
The precise mechanism by which propofol enhances GABAergic transmission remains unclear, but much progress has been made regarding the underlying structural and dynamic mechanisms. Furthermore, it is now clear that propofol has additional molecular targets, many of which are functionally influenced at concentrations achieved clinically. Focusing primarily on molecular targets, this brief review attempts to summarize some of this recent progress while pointing out knowledge gaps and controversies. It is not intended to be comprehensive but rather to stimulate further thought, discussion, and study on the mechanisms by which propofol produces its pleiotropic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Tang
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh, 3550 Terrace Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Roderic Eckenhoff
- Department of Anesthesiology & Critical Care, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce St, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
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17
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Ion BF, Wells MM, Chen Q, Xu Y, Tang P. Ketamine Inhibition of the Pentameric Ligand-Gated Ion Channel GLIC. Biophys J 2017; 113:605-612. [PMID: 28793215 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2017.06.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2017] [Revised: 06/14/2017] [Accepted: 06/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Ketamine inhibits pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs), including the bacterial pLGIC from Gloeobacter violaceus (GLIC). The crystal structure of GLIC shows R-ketamine bound to an extracellular intersubunit cavity. Here, we performed molecular dynamics simulations of GLIC in the absence and presence of R- or S-ketamine. No stable binding of S-ketamine in the original cavity was observed in the simulations, largely due to its unfavorable access to residue D154, which provides important electrostatic interactions to stabilize R-ketamine binding. Contrary to the symmetric binding shown in the crystal structure, R-ketamine moved away from some of the binding sites and was bound to GLIC asymmetrically at the end of simulations. The asymmetric binding is consistent with the experimentally measured negative cooperativity of ketamine binding to GLIC. In the presence of R-ketamine, all subunits showed changes in structure and dynamics, irrespective of binding stability; the extracellular intersubunit cavity expanded and intersubunit electrostatic interactions involved in channel activation were altered. R-ketamine binding promoted a conformational shift toward closed GLIC. Conformational changes near the ketamine-binding site were propagated to the interface between the extracellular and transmembrane domains, and further to the pore-lining TM2 through two pathways: pre-TM1 and the β1-β2 loop. Both signaling pathways have been predicted previously using the perturbation-based Markovian transmission model. The study provides a structural and dynamics basis for the inhibitory modulation of ketamine on pLGICs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bogdan F Ion
- Departments of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Marta M Wells
- Departments of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Qiang Chen
- Departments of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Yan Xu
- Departments of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Pei Tang
- Departments of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
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18
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Chen Q, Wells MM, Tillman TS, Kinde MN, Cohen A, Xu Y, Tang P. Structural Basis of Alcohol Inhibition of the Pentameric Ligand-Gated Ion Channel ELIC. Structure 2016; 25:180-187. [PMID: 27916519 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2016.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2016] [Revised: 09/30/2016] [Accepted: 11/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The structural basis for alcohol modulation of neuronal pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) remains elusive. We determined an inhibitory mechanism of alcohol on the pLGIC Erwinia chrysanthemi (ELIC) through direct binding to the pore. X-ray structures of ELIC co-crystallized with 2-bromoethanol, in both the absence and presence of agonist, reveal 2-bromoethanol binding in the pore near T237(6') and the extracellular domain (ECD) of each subunit at three different locations. Binding to the ECD does not appear to contribute to the inhibitory action of 2-bromoethanol and ethanol as indicated by the same functional responses of wild-type ELIC and mutants. In contrast, the ELIC-α1β3GABAAR chimera, replacing the ELIC transmembrane domain (TMD) with the TMD of α1β3GABAAR, is potentiated by 2-bromoethanol and ethanol. The results suggest a dominant role of the TMD in modulating alcohol effects. The X-ray structures and functional measurements support a pore-blocking mechanism for inhibitory action of short-chain alcohols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Marta M Wells
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA; Department of Computational and System Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Tommy S Tillman
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Monica N Kinde
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Aina Cohen
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Yan Xu
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA; Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Pei Tang
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA; Department of Computational and System Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
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19
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Allosteric binding site in a Cys-loop receptor ligand-binding domain unveiled in the crystal structure of ELIC in complex with chlorpromazine. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:E6696-E6703. [PMID: 27791038 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1603101113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Pentameric ligand-gated ion channels or Cys-loop receptors are responsible for fast inhibitory or excitatory synaptic transmission. The antipsychotic compound chlorpromazine is a widely used tool to probe the ion channel pore of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, which is a prototypical Cys-loop receptor. In this study, we determine the molecular determinants of chlorpromazine binding in the Erwinia ligand-gated ion channel (ELIC). We report the X-ray crystal structures of ELIC in complex with chlorpromazine or its brominated derivative bromopromazine. Unexpectedly, we do not find a chlorpromazine molecule in the channel pore of ELIC, but behind the β8-β9 loop in the extracellular ligand-binding domain. The β8-β9 loop is localized downstream from the neurotransmitter binding site and plays an important role in coupling of ligand binding to channel opening. In combination with electrophysiological recordings from ELIC cysteine mutants and a thiol-reactive derivative of chlorpromazine, we demonstrate that chlorpromazine binding at the β8-β9 loop is responsible for receptor inhibition. We further use molecular-dynamics simulations to support the X-ray data and mutagenesis experiments. Together, these data unveil an allosteric binding site in the extracellular ligand-binding domain of ELIC. Our results extend on previous observations and further substantiate our understanding of a multisite model for allosteric modulation of Cys-loop receptors.
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20
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Burgos CF, Yévenes GE, Aguayo LG. Structure and Pharmacologic Modulation of Inhibitory Glycine Receptors. Mol Pharmacol 2016; 90:318-25. [PMID: 27401877 DOI: 10.1124/mol.116.105726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2016] [Accepted: 07/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Glycine receptors (GlyR) are inhibitory Cys-loop ion channels that contribute to the control of excitability along the central nervous system (CNS). GlyR are found in the spinal cord and brain stem, and more recently they were reported in higher regions of the CNS such as the hippocampus and nucleus accumbens. GlyR are involved in motor coordination, respiratory rhythms, pain transmission, and sensory processing, and they are targets for relevant physiologic and pharmacologic modulators. Several studies with protein crystallography and cryoelectron microscopy have shed light on the residues and mechanisms associated with the activation, blockade, and regulation of pentameric Cys-loop ion channels at the atomic level. Initial studies conducted on the extracellular domain of acetylcholine receptors, ion channels from prokaryote homologs-Erwinia chrysanthemi ligand-gated ion channel (ELIC), Gloeobacter violaceus ligand-gated ion channel (GLIC)-and crystallized eukaryotic receptors made it possible to define the overall structure and topology of the Cys-loop receptors. For example, the determination of pentameric GlyR structures bound to glycine and strychnine have contributed to visualizing the structural changes implicated in the transition between the open and closed states of the Cys-loop receptors. In this review, we summarize how the new information obtained in functional, mutagenesis, and structural studies have contributed to a better understanding of the function and regulation of GlyR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos F Burgos
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology (C.F.B., L.G.A.), and Laboratory of Neuropharmacology (G.E.Y.), Department of Physiology, University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Gonzalo E Yévenes
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology (C.F.B., L.G.A.), and Laboratory of Neuropharmacology (G.E.Y.), Department of Physiology, University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Luis G Aguayo
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology (C.F.B., L.G.A.), and Laboratory of Neuropharmacology (G.E.Y.), Department of Physiology, University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile
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Cao Y, Wu X, Wang X, Sun H, Lee I. Transmembrane dynamics of the Thr-5 phosphorylated sarcolipin pentameric channel. Arch Biochem Biophys 2016; 604:143-51. [PMID: 27378083 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2016.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2016] [Revised: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 06/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Sarcolipin (SLN), an important membrane protein expressed in the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), regulates muscle contractions in cardiac and skeletal muscle. The phosphorylation at amino acid Thr5 of the SLN protein modulates the amount of Ca(2+) that passes through the SR. Using molecular dynamics simulation, we evaluated the phosphorylation at Thr5 of pentameric SLN (phospho-SLN) channel's energy barrier and pore characteristics by calculating the potential of mean force (PMF) along the channel pore and determining the diffusion coefficient. The results indicate that pentameric phospho-SLN promotes penetration of monovalent and divalent ions through the channel. The analysis of PMF, pore radius and diffusion coefficient indicates that Leu21 is the hydrophobic gate of the pentameric SLN channel. In the channel, water molecules near the Leu21 pore demonstrated a clear hydrated-dehydrated transition; however, the mutation of Leu21 to an Alanine (L21A) destroyed the hydrated-dehydrated transitions. These water-dynamic behaviors and PMF confirm that Leu21 is the key residue that regulates the ion permeability of the pentameric SLN channel. These results provide the structural-basis insights and molecular-dynamic information that are needed to understand the regulatory mechanisms of ion permeability in the pentameric SLN channel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yipeng Cao
- Institute of Physics, Nankai University, No.94 Weijin Road, Tianjin, 300071, PR China
| | - Xue Wu
- Institute of Physics, Nankai University, No.94 Weijin Road, Tianjin, 300071, PR China
| | - Xinyu Wang
- Institute of Physics, Nankai University, No.94 Weijin Road, Tianjin, 300071, PR China
| | - Haiying Sun
- Institute of Physics, Nankai University, No.94 Weijin Road, Tianjin, 300071, PR China
| | - Imshik Lee
- Institute of Physics, Nankai University, No.94 Weijin Road, Tianjin, 300071, PR China.
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22
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Identifying functionally relevant anesthetic-binding sites in pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) is an important step toward understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying anesthetic action. The anesthetic propofol is known to inhibit cation-conducting pLGICs, including a prokaryotic pLGIC from Erwinia chrysanthemi (ELIC), but the sites responsible for functional inhibition remain undetermined. METHODS We photolabeled ELIC with a light-activated derivative of propofol (AziPm) and performed fluorine-19 nuclear magnetic resonance experiments to support propofol binding to a transmembrane domain (TMD) intrasubunit pocket. To differentiate sites responsible for propofol inhibition from those that are functionally irrelevant, we made an ELIC-γ-aminobutyric acid receptor (GABAAR) chimera that replaced the ELIC-TMD with the α1β3GABAAR-TMD and compared functional responses of ELIC-GABAAR and ELIC with propofol modulations. RESULTS Photolabeling showed multiple AziPm-binding sites in the extracellular domain (ECD) but only one site in the TMD with labeled residues M265 and F308 in the resting state of ELIC. Notably, this TMD site is an intrasubunit pocket that overlaps with binding sites for anesthetics, including propofol, found previously in other pLGICs. Fluorine-19 nuclear magnetic resonance experiments supported propofol binding to this TMD intrasubunit pocket only in the absence of agonist. Functional measurements of ELIC-GABAAR showed propofol potentiation of the agonist-elicited current instead of inhibition observed on ELIC. CONCLUSIONS The distinctly different responses of ELIC and ELIC-GABAAR to propofol support the functional relevance of propofol binding to the TMD. Combining the newly identified TMD intrasubunit pocket in ELIC with equivalent TMD anesthetic sites found previously in other cationic pLGICs, we propose this TMD pocket as a common site for anesthetic inhibition of pLGICs.
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23
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Puthenkalam R, Hieckel M, Simeone X, Suwattanasophon C, Feldbauer RV, Ecker GF, Ernst M. Structural Studies of GABAA Receptor Binding Sites: Which Experimental Structure Tells us What? Front Mol Neurosci 2016; 9:44. [PMID: 27378845 PMCID: PMC4910578 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2016.00044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Atomic resolution structures of cys-loop receptors, including one of a γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptor (GABAA receptor) subtype, allow amazing insights into the structural features and conformational changes that these pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) display. Here we present a comprehensive analysis of more than 30 cys-loop receptor structures of homologous proteins that revealed several allosteric binding sites not previously described in GABAA receptors. These novel binding sites were examined in GABAA receptor homology models and assessed as putative candidate sites for allosteric ligands. Four so far undescribed putative ligand binding sites were proposed for follow up studies based on their presence in the GABAA receptor homology models. A comprehensive analysis of conserved structural features in GABAA and glycine receptors (GlyRs), the glutamate gated ion channel, the bacterial homologs Erwinia chrysanthemi (ELIC) and Gloeobacter violaceus GLIC, and the serotonin type 3 (5-HT3) receptor was performed. The conserved features were integrated into a master alignment that led to improved homology models. The large fragment of the intracellular domain that is present in the structure of the 5-HT3 receptor was utilized to generate GABAA receptor models with a corresponding intracellular domain fragment. Results of mutational and photoaffinity ligand studies in GABAA receptors were analyzed in the light of the model structures. This led to an assignment of candidate ligands to two proposed novel pockets, candidate binding sites for furosemide and neurosteroids in the trans-membrane domain were identified. The homology models can serve as hypotheses generators, and some previously controversial structural interpretations of biochemical data can be resolved in the light of the presented multi-template approach to comparative modeling. Crystal and cryo-EM microscopic structures of the closest homologs that were solved in different conformational states provided important insights into structural rearrangements of binding sites during conformational transitions. The impact of structural variation and conformational motion on the shape of the investigated binding sites was analyzed. Rules for best template and alignment choice were obtained and can generally be applied to modeling of cys-loop receptors. Overall, we provide an updated structure based view of ligand binding sites present in GABAA receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roshan Puthenkalam
- Department of Molecular Neurosciences, Medical University of ViennaVienna, Austria
| | - Marcel Hieckel
- Department of Molecular Neurosciences, Medical University of ViennaVienna, Austria
| | - Xenia Simeone
- Department of Molecular Neurosciences, Medical University of ViennaVienna, Austria
| | | | - Roman V. Feldbauer
- Austrian Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence (OFAI)Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerhard F. Ecker
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of ViennaVienna, Austria
| | - Margot Ernst
- Department of Molecular Neurosciences, Medical University of ViennaVienna, Austria
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24
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Sauguet L, Fourati Z, Prangé T, Delarue M, Colloc'h N. Structural Basis for Xenon Inhibition in a Cationic Pentameric Ligand-Gated Ion Channel. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0149795. [PMID: 26910105 PMCID: PMC4765991 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0149795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2015] [Accepted: 02/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
GLIC receptor is a bacterial pentameric ligand-gated ion channel whose action is inhibited by xenon. Xenon has been used in clinical practice as a potent gaseous anaesthetic for decades, but the molecular mechanism of interactions with its integral membrane receptor targets remains poorly understood. Here we characterize by X-ray crystallography the xenon-binding sites within both the open and "locally-closed" (inactive) conformations of GLIC. Major binding sites of xenon, which differ between the two conformations, were identified in three distinct regions that all belong to the trans-membrane domain of GLIC: 1) in an intra-subunit cavity, 2) at the interface between adjacent subunits, and 3) in the pore. The pore site is unique to the locally-closed form where the binding of xenon effectively seals the channel. A putative mechanism of the inhibition of GLIC by xenon is proposed, which might be extended to other pentameric cationic ligand-gated ion channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludovic Sauguet
- Unité de Dynamique Structurale des Macromolécules (UMR 3528 CNRS) Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Zeineb Fourati
- Unité de Dynamique Structurale des Macromolécules (UMR 3528 CNRS) Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Thierry Prangé
- Laboratoire de cristallographie et RMN biologiques (UMR 8015 CNRS), Paris, France
| | - Marc Delarue
- Unité de Dynamique Structurale des Macromolécules (UMR 3528 CNRS) Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- * E-mail:
| | - Nathalie Colloc'h
- CNRS, UMR 6301, ISTCT CERVOxy group, GIP Cyceron, Caen, France
- UNICAEN, Normandie Univ., UMR 6301 ISTCT, Caen, France
- CEA, DSV/I2BM, UMR 6301 ISTCT, Caen, France
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25
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Borghese CM, Ruiz CI, Lee US, Cullins MA, Bertaccini EJ, Trudell JR, Harris RA. Identification of an Inhibitory Alcohol Binding Site in GABAA ρ1 Receptors. ACS Chem Neurosci 2016; 7:100-8. [PMID: 26571107 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.5b00246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohols inhibit γ-aminobutyric acid type A ρ1 receptor function. After introducing mutations in several positions of the second transmembrane helix in ρ1, we studied the effects of ethanol and hexanol on GABA responses using two-electrode voltage clamp electrophysiology in Xenopus laevis oocytes. The 6' mutations produced the following effects on ethanol and hexanol responses: small increase or no change (T6'M), increased inhibition (T6'V), and small potentiation (T6'Y and T6'F). The 5' mutations produced mainly increases in hexanol inhibition. Other mutations produced small (3' and 9') or no changes (2' and L277 in the first transmembrane domain) in alcohol effects. These results suggest an inhibitory alcohol binding site near the 6' position. Homology models of ρ1 receptors based on the X-ray structure of GluCl showed that the 2', 5', 6', and 9' residues were easily accessible from the ion pore, with 5' and 6' residues from neighboring subunits facing each other; L3' and L277 also faced the neighboring subunit. We tested ethanol through octanol on single and double mutated ρ1 receptors [ρ1(I15'S), ρ1(T6'Y), and ρ1(T6'Y,I15'S)] to further characterize the inhibitory alcohol pocket in the wild-type ρ1 receptor. The pocket can only bind relatively short-chain alcohols and is eliminated by introducing Y in the 6' position. Replacing the bulky 15' residue with a smaller side chain introduced a potentiating binding site, more sensitive to long-chain than to short-chain alcohols. In conclusion, the net alcohol effect on the ρ1 receptor is determined by the sum of its actions on inhibitory and potentiating sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia M. Borghese
- Waggoner
Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Carlos I. Ruiz
- Waggoner
Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Ui S. Lee
- Waggoner
Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Madeline A. Cullins
- Waggoner
Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Edward J. Bertaccini
- Department of Anesthesia & Beckman Program for Molecular and Genetic Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California 94305, United States
| | - James R. Trudell
- Department of Anesthesia & Beckman Program for Molecular and Genetic Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California 94305, United States
| | - R. Adron Harris
- Waggoner
Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
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