1
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He J, Dmochowski IJ. Local Xenon-Protein Interaction Produces Global Conformational Change and Allosteric Inhibition in Lysozyme. Biochemistry 2023; 62:1659-1669. [PMID: 37192381 PMCID: PMC10821772 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.3c00046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Noble gases have well-established biological effects, yet their molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated, both experimentally and computationally, the molecular modes of xenon (Xe) action in bacteriophage T4 lysozyme (T4L). By combining indirect gassing methods with a colorimetric lysozyme activity assay, a reversible, Xe-specific (20 ± 3)% inhibition effect was observed. Accelerated molecular dynamic simulations revealed that Xe exerts allosteric inhibition on the protein by expanding a C-terminal hydrophobic cavity. Xe-induced cavity expansion results in global conformational changes, with long-range transduction distorting the active site where peptidoglycan binds. Interestingly, the peptide substrate binding site that enables lysozyme specificity does not change conformation. Two T4L mutants designed to reshape the C-terminal Xe cavity established a correlation between cavity expansion and enzyme inhibition. This work also highlights the use of Xe flooding simulations to identify new cryptic binding pockets. These results enrich our understanding of Xe-protein interactions at the molecular level and inspire further biochemical investigations with noble gases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayi He
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6323, United States
| | - Ivan J Dmochowski
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6323, United States
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2
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Fourati Z, Sauguet L, Delarue M. Structural evidence for the binding of monocarboxylates and dicarboxylates at pharmacologically relevant extracellular sites of a pentameric ligand-gated ion channel. Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol 2020; 76:668-675. [PMID: 32627739 PMCID: PMC7336382 DOI: 10.1107/s205979832000772x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
GLIC is a bacterial homologue of the pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) that mediate the fast chemical neurotransmission of nerve signalling in eukaryotes. Because the activation and allosteric modulation features are conserved among prokaryotic and eukaryotic pLGICs, GLIC is commonly used as a model to study the allosteric transition and structural pharmacology of pLGICs. It has previously been shown that GLIC is inhibited by some carboxylic acid derivatives. Here, experimental evidence for carboxylate binding to GLIC is provided by solving its X-ray structures with a series of monocarboxylate and dicarboxylate derivatives, and two carboxylate-binding sites are described: (i) the `intersubunit' site that partially overlaps the canonical pLGIC orthosteric site and (ii) the `intrasubunit' vestibular site, which is only occupied by a subset of the described derivatives. While the intersubunit site is widely conserved in all pLGICs, the intrasubunit site is only conserved in cationic eukaryotic pLGICs. This study sheds light on the importance of these two extracellular modulation sites as potential drug targets in pLGICs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaineb Fourati
- Unité Dynamique Structurale des Macromolécules, Institut Pasteur, 25 Rue du Docteur Roux, F-75015 Paris, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, CNRS UMR3528, Biologie Structurale des Processus Cellulaires et Maladies Infectieuses, 25 Rue du Docteur Roux, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Ludovic Sauguet
- Unité Dynamique Structurale des Macromolécules, Institut Pasteur, 25 Rue du Docteur Roux, F-75015 Paris, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, CNRS UMR3528, Biologie Structurale des Processus Cellulaires et Maladies Infectieuses, 25 Rue du Docteur Roux, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Marc Delarue
- Unité Dynamique Structurale des Macromolécules, Institut Pasteur, 25 Rue du Docteur Roux, F-75015 Paris, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, CNRS UMR3528, Biologie Structurale des Processus Cellulaires et Maladies Infectieuses, 25 Rue du Docteur Roux, F-75015 Paris, France
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3
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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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4
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Lara CO, Burgos CF, Silva-Grecchi T, Muñoz-Montesino C, Aguayo LG, Fuentealba J, Castro PA, Guzmán JL, Corringer PJ, Yévenes GE, Moraga-Cid G. Large Intracellular Domain-Dependent Effects of Positive Allosteric Modulators on Glycine Receptors. ACS Chem Neurosci 2019; 10:2551-2559. [PMID: 30893555 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.9b00050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Glycine receptors (GlyRs) are members of the pentameric ligand-gated ionic channel family (pLGICs) and mediate fast inhibitory neurotransmission in the brain stem and spinal cord. The function of GlyRs can be modulated by positive allosteric modulators (PAMs). So far, it is largely accepted that both the extracellular (ECD) and transmembrane (TMD) domains constitute the primary target for many of these PAMs. On the other hand, the contribution of the intracellular domain (ICD) to the PAM effects on GlyRs remains poorly understood. To gain insight about the role of the ICD in the pharmacology of GlyRs, we examined the contribution of each domain using a chimeric receptor. Two chimeras were generated, one consisting of the ECD of the prokaryotic homologue Gloeobacter violaceus ligand-gated ion channel (GLIC) fused to the TMD of the human α1GlyR lacking the ICD (Lily) and a second with the ICD (Lily-ICD). The sensitivity to PAMs of both chimeric receptors was studied using electrophysiological techniques. The Lily receptor showed a significant decrease in the sensitivity to four recognized PAMs. Remarkably, the incorporation of the ICD into the Lily background was sufficient to restore the wild-type α1GlyR sensitivity to these PAMs. Based on these data, we can suggest that the ICD is necessary to form a pLGIC having full sensitivity to positive allosteric modulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cesar O. Lara
- Departamento de Fisiologı́a, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Chile
| | - Carlos F. Burgos
- Departamento de Fisiologı́a, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Chile
| | - Tiare Silva-Grecchi
- Departamento de Fisiologı́a, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Chile
| | - Carola Muñoz-Montesino
- Departamento de Fisiologı́a, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Chile
| | - Luis G. Aguayo
- Departamento de Fisiologı́a, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Chile
| | - Jorge Fuentealba
- Departamento de Fisiologı́a, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Chile
| | - Patricio A. Castro
- Departamento de Fisiologı́a, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Chile
| | - Jose L. Guzmán
- Departamento de Fisiologı́a, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Chile
| | | | - Gonzalo E. Yévenes
- Departamento de Fisiologı́a, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Chile
| | - Gustavo Moraga-Cid
- Departamento de Fisiologı́a, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Chile
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5
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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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6
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Allosteric potentiation of a ligand-gated ion channel is mediated by access to a deep membrane-facing cavity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:10672-10677. [PMID: 30275330 PMCID: PMC6196478 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1809650115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Theories of general anesthesia have shifted in focus from bulk lipid effects to specific interactions with membrane proteins. Target receptors include several subtypes of pentameric ligand-gated ion channels; however, structures of physiologically relevant proteins in this family have yet to define anesthetic binding at high resolution. Recent cocrystal structures of the bacterial protein GLIC provide snapshots of state-dependent binding sites for the common surgical agent propofol (PFL), offering a detailed model system for anesthetic modulation. Here, we combine molecular dynamics and oocyte electrophysiology to reveal differential motion and modulation upon modification of a transmembrane binding site within each GLIC subunit. WT channels exhibited net inhibition by PFL, and a contraction of the cavity away from the pore-lining M2 helix in the absence of drug. Conversely, in GLIC variants exhibiting net PFL potentiation, the cavity was persistently expanded and proximal to M2. Mutations designed to favor this deepened site enabled sensitivity even to subclinical concentrations of PFL, and a uniquely prolonged mode of potentiation evident up to ∼30 min after washout. Dependence of these prolonged effects on exposure time implicated the membrane as a reservoir for a lipid-accessible binding site. However, at the highest measured concentrations, potentiation appeared to be masked by an acute inhibitory effect, consistent with the presence of a discrete, water-accessible site of inhibition. These results support a multisite model of transmembrane allosteric modulation, including a possible link between lipid- and receptor-based theories that could inform the development of new anesthetics.
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7
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Yang E, Granata D, Eckenhoff RG, Carnevale V, Covarrubias M. Propofol inhibits prokaryotic voltage-gated Na + channels by promoting activation-coupled inactivation. J Gen Physiol 2018; 150:1299-1316. [PMID: 30018038 PMCID: PMC6122921 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.201711924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2017] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Propofol is widely used in the clinic for the induction and maintenance of general anesthesia. As with most general anesthetics, however, our understanding of its mechanism of action remains incomplete. Local and general anesthetics largely inhibit voltage-gated Na+ channels (Navs) by inducing an apparent stabilization of the inactivated state, associated in some instances with pore block. To determine the biophysical and molecular basis of propofol action in Navs, we investigated NaChBac and NavMs, two prokaryotic Navs with distinct voltage dependencies and gating kinetics, by whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology in the absence and presence of propofol at clinically relevant concentrations (2-10 µM). In both Navs, propofol induced a hyperpolarizing shift of the pre-pulse inactivation curve without any significant effects on recovery from inactivation at strongly hyperpolarized voltages, demonstrating that propofol does not stabilize the inactivated state. Moreover, there was no evidence of fast or slow pore block by propofol in a non-inactivating NaChBac mutant (T220A). Propofol also induced hyperpolarizing shifts of the conductance-voltage relationships with negligible effects on the time constants of deactivation at hyperpolarized voltages, indicating that propofol does not stabilize the open state. Instead, propofol decreases the time constants of macroscopic activation and inactivation. Adopting a kinetic scheme of Nav gating that assumes preferential closed-state recovery from inactivation, a 1.7-fold acceleration of the rate constant of activation and a 1.4-fold acceleration of the rate constant of inactivation were sufficient to reproduce experimental observations with computer simulations. In addition, molecular dynamics simulations and molecular docking suggest that propofol binding involves interactions with gating machinery in the S4-S5 linker and external pore regions. Our findings show that propofol is primarily a positive gating modulator of prokaryotic Navs, which ultimately inhibits the channels by promoting activation-coupled inactivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine Yang
- Vickie and Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience and Department of Neuroscience, Sidney Kimmel Medical College and Jefferson College of Biomedical Sciences, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Daniele Granata
- Institute for Computational Molecular Science, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Roderic G Eckenhoff
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Vincenzo Carnevale
- Institute for Computational Molecular Science, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Manuel Covarrubias
- Vickie and Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience and Department of Neuroscience, Sidney Kimmel Medical College and Jefferson College of Biomedical Sciences, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA
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8
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Zhang L, Zuo M, Ma X, Dong Y. Effects of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on minimum alveolar concentration values of sevoflurane and desflurane in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma complicated with jaundice. Oncol Lett 2018; 16:388-394. [PMID: 29928426 PMCID: PMC6006300 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2018.8621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2017] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The effects of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) values of sevoflurane and desflurane in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) complicated with jaundice were investigated. Eighty patients with HCC complicated with jaundice were selected. Forty patients underwent the neoadjuvant chemotherapy and were grouped into the desflurane group (Group D) and the sevoflurane group (Group S). Patients in all chemotherapy groups received 2 cycles of chemotherapy prior to surgery and underwent surgical treatment 3 weeks after chemotherapy. The remaining 40 patients in the control group were divided into the desflurane group (Group C1) and the sevoflurane group (Group C2). Changes in MAP, HR and BIS at different time points before and after anesthesia induction and skin incision were compared among the groups. Results showed that there were no significant differences in MAP, HR and BIS before anesthesia induction (T0) (P>0.05); at each time point from T1 to T6, MAP, HR and BIS of Group D were significantly lower than those of Group C1 (P>0.05). Furthermore, MAP, HR and BIS of Group S were significantly lower than those of Group C2 (P>0.05). The MACMean of sevoflurane and desflurane were compared among all patient groups using the mean method. MACMean values of Group D were significantly lower than those of Group C1 (P<0.05). Notably, MACDixon values of sevoflurane and desflurane were compared among all patient groups using the Dixon method and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Logistic regression analyses were conducted, respectively, which revealed that the MAC of sevoflurane and desflurane were associated with whether patients received the neoadjuvant chemotherapy. MACLog of sevoflurane and desflurane were decreased in patients receiving the neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The results suggested that neoadjuvant chemotherapy can reduce MAC values of sevoflurane and desflurane in HCC patients complicated with jaundice and may improve these patients' sensitivity to sevoflurane and desflurane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangyang No. 1 People's Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Xiangyang, Hubei 441000, P.R. China
| | - Mingyan Zuo
- Department of Pulmonary Disease, Xiangyang No. 1 People's Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Xiangyang, Hubei 441000, P.R. China
| | - Xinxin Ma
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangyang No. 1 People's Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Xiangyang, Hubei 441000, P.R. China
| | - Youhong Dong
- Department of Oncology, Xiangyang No. 1 People's Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Xiangyang, Hubei 441000, P.R. China
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9
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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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10
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Kovalenko A, Gusarov S. Multiscale methods framework: self-consistent coupling of molecular theory of solvation with quantum chemistry, molecular simulations, and dissipative particle dynamics. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2018; 20:2947-2969. [DOI: 10.1039/c7cp05585d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
In this work, we will address different aspects of self-consistent field coupling of computational chemistry methods at different time and length scales in modern materials and biomolecular science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andriy Kovalenko
- National Institute for Nanotechnology
- National Research Council of Canada
- Edmonton
- Canada
- Department of Mechanical Engineering
| | - Sergey Gusarov
- National Institute for Nanotechnology
- National Research Council of Canada
- Edmonton
- Canada
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11
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Ghosh B, Tsao TW, Czajkowski C. A chimeric prokaryotic-eukaryotic pentameric ligand gated ion channel reveals interactions between the extracellular and transmembrane domains shape neurosteroid modulation. Neuropharmacology 2017; 125:343-352. [PMID: 28803966 PMCID: PMC5600277 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2017] [Revised: 06/30/2017] [Accepted: 08/08/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) are the targets of several clinical and endogenous allosteric modulators including anesthetics and neurosteroids. Molecular mechanisms underlying allosteric drug modulation are poorly understood. Here, we constructed a chimeric pLGIC by fusing the extracellular domain (ECD) of the proton-activated, cation-selective bacterial channel GLIC to the transmembrane domain (TMD) of the human ρ1 chloride-selective GABAAR, and tested the hypothesis that drug actions are regulated locally in the domain that houses its binding site. The chimeric channels were proton-gated and chloride-selective demonstrating the GLIC ECD was functionally coupled to the GABAρ TMD. Channels were blocked by picrotoxin and inhibited by pentobarbital, etomidate and propofol. The point mutation, ρ TMD W328M, conferred positive modulation and direct gating by pentobarbital. The data suggest that the structural machinery mediating general anesthetic modulation resides in the TMD. Proton-activation and neurosteroid modulation of the GLIC-ρ chimeric channels, however, did not simply mimic their respective actions on GLIC and GABAρ revealing that across domain interactions between the ECD and TMD play important roles in determining their actions. Proton-induced current responses were biphasic suggesting that the chimeric channels contain an additional proton sensor. Neurosteroid modulation of the GLIC-ρ chimeric channels by the stereoisomers, 5α-THDOC and 5β-THDOC, were swapped compared to their actions on GABAρ indicating that positive versus negative neurosteroid modulation is not encoded solely in the TMD nor by neurosteroid isomer structure but is dependent on specific interdomain connections between the ECD and TMD. Our data reveal a new mechanism for shaping neurosteroid modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Borna Ghosh
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 1111 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Eli Lilly and Company, 1220 W Morris St, Indianapolis, IN 46221, USA
| | - Tzu-Wei Tsao
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 1111 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Physiology Training Program, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 1111 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Cynthia Czajkowski
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 1111 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53705, USA.
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12
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Nemecz Á, Prevost MS, Menny A, Corringer PJ. Emerging Molecular Mechanisms of Signal Transduction in Pentameric Ligand-Gated Ion Channels. Neuron 2017; 90:452-70. [PMID: 27151638 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2016.03.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 154] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2015] [Revised: 01/07/2016] [Accepted: 03/24/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Nicotinic acetylcholine, serotonin type 3, γ-amminobutyric acid type A, and glycine receptors are major players of human neuronal communication. They belong to the family of pentameric ligand-gated ion channels, sharing a highly conserved modular 3D structure. Recently, high-resolution structures of both open- and closed-pore conformations have been solved for a bacterial, an invertebrate, and a vertebrate receptor in this family. These data suggest that a common gating mechanism occurs, coupling neurotransmitter binding to pore opening, but they also pinpoint significant differences among subtypes. In this Review, we summarize the structural and functional data in light of these gating models and speculate about their mechanistic consequences on ion permeation, pathological mutations, as well as functional regulation by orthosteric and allosteric effectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ákos Nemecz
- Channel-Receptors Unit, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France; CNRS UMR 3571, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Marie S Prevost
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London and Birkbeck, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX, UK
| | - Anaïs Menny
- Channel-Receptors Unit, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France; CNRS UMR 3571, 75015 Paris, France; Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC), Cellule Pasteur, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Pierre-Jean Corringer
- Channel-Receptors Unit, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France; CNRS UMR 3571, 75015 Paris, France.
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13
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Arcario MJ, Mayne CG, Tajkhorshid E. A membrane-embedded pathway delivers general anesthetics to two interacting binding sites in the Gloeobacter violaceus ion channel. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:9480-9492. [PMID: 28420728 PMCID: PMC5465477 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m117.780197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2017] [Revised: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
General anesthetics exert their effects on the central nervous system by acting on ion channels, most notably pentameric ligand-gated ion channels. Although numerous studies have focused on pentameric ligand-gated ion channels, the details of anesthetic binding and channel modulation are still debated. A better understanding of the anesthetic mechanism of action is necessary for the development of safer and more efficacious drugs. Herein, we present a computational study identifying two anesthetic binding sites in the transmembrane domain of the Gloeobacter violaceus ligand-gated ion channel (GLIC) channel, characterize the putative binding pathway, and observe structural changes associated with channel function. Molecular simulations of desflurane reveal a binding pathway to GLIC via a membrane-embedded tunnel using an intrasubunit protein lumen as the conduit, an observation that explains the Meyer-Overton hypothesis, or why the lipophilicity of an anesthetic and its potency are generally proportional. Moreover, employing high concentrations of ligand led to the identification of a second transmembrane site (TM2) that inhibits dissociation of anesthetic from the TM1 site and is consistent with the high concentrations of anesthetics required to achieve clinical effects. Finally, asymmetric binding patterns of anesthetic to the channel were found to promote an iris-like conformational change that constricts and dehydrates the ion pore, creating a 13.5 kcal/mol barrier to ion translocation. Together with previous studies, the simulations presented herein demonstrate a novel anesthetic binding site in GLIC that is accessed through a membrane-embedded tunnel and interacts with a previously known site, resulting in conformational changes that produce a non-conductive state of the channel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark J Arcario
- From the Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology.,Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, and.,Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
| | - Christopher G Mayne
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- From the Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, .,Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, and.,Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
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14
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Fourati Z, Ruza RR, Laverty D, Drège E, Delarue-Cochin S, Joseph D, Koehl P, Smart T, Delarue M. Barbiturates Bind in the GLIC Ion Channel Pore and Cause Inhibition by Stabilizing a Closed State. J Biol Chem 2016; 292:1550-1558. [PMID: 27986812 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.766964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2016] [Revised: 12/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Barbiturates induce anesthesia by modulating the activity of anionic and cationic pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs). Despite more than a century of use in clinical practice, the prototypic binding site for this class of drugs within pLGICs is yet to be described. In this study, we present the first X-ray structures of barbiturates bound to GLIC, a cationic prokaryotic pLGIC with excellent structural homology to other relevant channels sensitive to general anesthetics and, as shown here, to barbiturates, at clinically relevant concentrations. Several derivatives of barbiturates containing anomalous scatterers were synthesized, and these derivatives helped us unambiguously identify a unique barbiturate binding site within the central ion channel pore in a closed conformation. In addition, docking calculations around the observed binding site for all three states of the receptor, including a model of the desensitized state, showed that barbiturates preferentially stabilize the closed state. The identification of this pore binding site sheds light on the mechanism of barbiturate inhibition of cationic pLGICs and allows the rationalization of several structural and functional features previously observed for barbiturates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaineb Fourati
- From the Unité de Dynamique Structurale des Macromolécules, UMR 3528 du CNRS, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Reinis Reinholds Ruza
- From the Unité de Dynamique Structurale des Macromolécules, UMR 3528 du CNRS, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Duncan Laverty
- the Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Emmanuelle Drège
- the UMR 8076 du CNRS, BioCIS, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Paris Sud, 92296 Chatenay-Malabry, France
| | - Sandrine Delarue-Cochin
- the UMR 8076 du CNRS, BioCIS, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Paris Sud, 92296 Chatenay-Malabry, France
| | - Delphine Joseph
- the UMR 8076 du CNRS, BioCIS, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Paris Sud, 92296 Chatenay-Malabry, France
| | - Patrice Koehl
- the Department of Computer Science, University of California, Davis, California 95616
| | - Trevor Smart
- the Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.
| | - Marc Delarue
- From the Unité de Dynamique Structurale des Macromolécules, UMR 3528 du CNRS, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France.
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15
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Baluška F, Yokawa K, Mancuso S, Baverstock K. Understanding of anesthesia - Why consciousness is essential for life and not based on genes. Commun Integr Biol 2016; 9:e1238118. [PMID: 28042377 PMCID: PMC5193047 DOI: 10.1080/19420889.2016.1238118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2015] [Revised: 08/05/2016] [Accepted: 09/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Anesthesia and consciousness represent 2 mysteries not only for biology but also for physics and philosophy. Although anesthesia was introduced to medicine more than 160 y ago, our understanding of how it works still remains a mystery. The most prevalent view is that the human brain and its neurons are necessary to impose the effects of anesthetics. However, the fact is that all life can be anesthesized. Numerous theories have been generated trying to explain the major impact of anesthetics on our human-specific consciousness; switching it off so rapidly, but no single theory resolves this enduring mystery. The speed of anesthetic actions precludes any direct involvement of genes. Lipid bilayers, cellular membranes, and critical proteins emerge as the most probable primary targets of anesthetics. Recent findings suggest, rather surprisingly, that physical forces underlie both the anesthetic actions on living organisms as well as on consciousness in general.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ken Yokawa
- IZMB, University of Bonn, Kirschalle, Bonn, Germany
| | - Stefano Mancuso
- Department of Plant, Soil and Environmental Science & LINV, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Keith Baverstock
- Department of Environmental Science, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
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16
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Mayne CG, Arcario MJ, Mahinthichaichan P, Baylon JL, Vermaas JV, Navidpour L, Wen PC, Thangapandian S, Tajkhorshid E. The cellular membrane as a mediator for small molecule interaction with membrane proteins. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA 2016; 1858:2290-2304. [PMID: 27163493 PMCID: PMC4983535 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2016.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2016] [Revised: 04/26/2016] [Accepted: 04/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The cellular membrane constitutes the first element that encounters a wide variety of molecular species to which a cell might be exposed. Hosting a large number of structurally and functionally diverse proteins associated with this key metabolic compartment, the membrane not only directly controls the traffic of various molecules in and out of the cell, it also participates in such diverse and important processes as signal transduction and chemical processing of incoming molecular species. In this article, we present a number of cases where details of interaction of small molecular species such as drugs with the membrane, which are often experimentally inaccessible, have been studied using advanced molecular simulation techniques. We have selected systems in which partitioning of the small molecule with the membrane constitutes a key step for its final biological function, often binding to and interacting with a protein associated with the membrane. These examples demonstrate that membrane partitioning is not only important for the overall distribution of drugs and other small molecules into different compartments of the body, it may also play a key role in determining the efficiency and the mode of interaction of the drug with its target protein. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Biosimulations edited by Ilpo Vattulainen and Tomasz Róg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher G Mayne
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States.
| | - Mark J Arcario
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States; Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States; College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States.
| | - Paween Mahinthichaichan
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States; Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States.
| | - Javier L Baylon
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States; Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States.
| | - Josh V Vermaas
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States; Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States.
| | - Latifeh Navidpour
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States.
| | - Po-Chao Wen
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States.
| | - Sundarapandian Thangapandian
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States; Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States.
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States; Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States; Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States; College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States.
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17
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Common Internal Allosteric Network Links Anesthetic Binding Sites in a Pentameric Ligand-Gated Ion Channel. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0158795. [PMID: 27403526 PMCID: PMC4942068 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0158795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2015] [Accepted: 06/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
General anesthetics bind reversibly to ion channels, modifying their global conformational distributions, but the underlying atomic mechanisms are not completely known. We examine this issue by way of the model protein Gloeobacter violaceous ligand-gated ion channel (GLIC) using computational molecular dynamics, with a coarse-grained model to enhance sampling. We find that in flooding simulations, both propofol and a generic particle localize to the crystallographic transmembrane anesthetic binding region, and that propofol also localizes to an extracellular region shared with the crystallographic ketamine binding site. Subsequent simulations to probe these binding modes in greater detail demonstrate that ligand binding induces structural asymmetry in GLIC. Consequently, we employ residue interaction correlation analysis to describe the internal allosteric network underlying the coupling of ligand and distant effector sites necessary for conformational change. Overall, the results suggest that the same allosteric network may underlie the actions of various anesthetics, regardless of binding site.
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18
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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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19
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From hopanoids to cholesterol: Molecular clocks of pentameric ligand-gated ion channels. Prog Lipid Res 2016; 63:1-13. [DOI: 10.1016/j.plipres.2016.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2015] [Revised: 03/22/2016] [Accepted: 03/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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20
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Heusser SA, Yoluk Ö, Klement G, Riederer EA, Lindahl E, Howard RJ. Functional characterization of neurotransmitter activation and modulation in a nematode model ligand-gated ion channel. J Neurochem 2016; 138:243-53. [PMID: 27102368 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.13644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2015] [Revised: 03/21/2016] [Accepted: 04/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The superfamily of pentameric ligand-gated ion channels includes neurotransmitter receptors that mediate fast synaptic transmission in vertebrates, and are targets for drugs including alcohols, anesthetics, benzodiazepines, and anticonvulsants. However, the mechanisms of ion channel opening, gating, and modulation in these receptors leave many open questions, despite their pharmacological importance. Subtle conformational changes in both the extracellular and transmembrane domains are likely to influence channel opening, but have been difficult to characterize given the limited structural data available for human membrane proteins. Recent crystal structures of a modified Caenorhabditis elegans glutamate-gated chloride channel (GluCl) in multiple states offer an appealing model system for structure-function studies. However, the pharmacology of the crystallographic GluCl construct is not well established. To establish the functional relevance of this system, we used two-electrode voltage-clamp electrophysiology in Xenopus oocytes to characterize activation of crystallographic and native-like GluCl constructs by L-glutamate and ivermectin. We also tested modulation by ethanol and other anesthetic agents, and used site-directed mutagenesis to explore the role of a region of Loop F which was implicated in ligand gating by molecular dynamics simulations. Our findings indicate that the crystallographic construct functionally models concentration-dependent agonism and allosteric modulation of pharmacologically relevant receptors. Specific substitutions at residue Leu174 in loop F altered direct L-glutamate activation, consistent with computational evidence for this region's role in ligand binding. These insights demonstrate conservation of activation and modulation properties in this receptor family, and establish a framework for GluCl as a model system, including new possibilities for drug discovery. In this study, we elucidate the validity of a modified glutamate-gated chloride channel (GluClcryst ) as a structurally accessible model for GABAA receptors. In contrast to native-like controls, GluClcryst exhibits classical activation by its neurotransmitter ligand L-glutamate. The modified channel is also sensitive to allosteric modulators associated with human GABAA receptors, and to site-directed mutations predicted to alter channel opening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie A Heusser
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Özge Yoluk
- Swedish e-Science Research Center, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Göran Klement
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Erika A Riederer
- Department of Chemistry, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY, USA
| | - Erik Lindahl
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,Swedish e-Science Research Center, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Rebecca J Howard
- Department of Chemistry, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY, USA
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21
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Laurent B, Murail S, Shahsavar A, Sauguet L, Delarue M, Baaden M. Sites of Anesthetic Inhibitory Action on a Cationic Ligand-Gated Ion Channel. Structure 2016; 24:595-605. [DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2016.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2015] [Revised: 02/12/2016] [Accepted: 02/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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22
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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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23
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Direct Pore Binding as a Mechanism for Isoflurane Inhibition of the Pentameric Ligand-gated Ion Channel ELIC. Sci Rep 2015; 5:13833. [PMID: 26346220 PMCID: PMC4561908 DOI: 10.1038/srep13833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2015] [Accepted: 08/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) are targets of general anesthetics, but molecular mechanisms underlying anesthetic action remain debatable. We found that ELIC, a pLGIC from Erwinia chrysanthemi, can be functionally inhibited by isoflurane and other anesthetics. Structures of ELIC co-crystallized with isoflurane in the absence or presence of an agonist revealed double isoflurane occupancies inside the pore near T237(6′) and A244(13′). A pore-radius contraction near the extracellular entrance was observed upon isoflurane binding. Electrophysiology measurements with a single-point mutation at position 6′ or 13′ support the notion that binding at these sites renders isoflurane inhibition. Molecular dynamics simulations suggested that isoflurane binding was more stable in the resting than in a desensitized pore conformation. This study presents compelling evidence for a direct pore-binding mechanism of isoflurane inhibition, which has a general implication for inhibitory action of general anesthetics on pLGICs.
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24
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Horani S, Stater EP, Corringer PJ, Trudell JR, Harris RA, Howard RJ. Ethanol Modulation is Quantitatively Determined by the Transmembrane Domain of Human α1 Glycine Receptors. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2015; 39:962-8. [PMID: 25973519 DOI: 10.1111/acer.12735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2014] [Accepted: 03/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mutagenesis and labeling studies have identified amino acids from the human α1 glycine receptor (GlyR) extracellular, transmembrane (TM), and intracellular domains in mediating ethanol (EtOH) potentiation. However, limited high-resolution structural data for physiologically relevant receptors in this Cys-loop receptor superfamily have made pinpointing the critical amino acids difficult. Homologous ion channels from lower organisms provide conserved models for structural and functional properties of Cys-loop receptors. We previously demonstrated that a single amino acid variant of the Gloeobacter violaceus ligand-gated ion channel (GLIC) produced EtOH and anesthetic sensitivity similar to that of GlyRs and provided crystallographic evidence for EtOH binding to GLIC. METHODS We directly compared EtOH modulation of the α1 GlyR and GLIC to a chimera containing the TM domain from human α1 GlyRs and the ligand-binding domain of GLIC using 2-electrode voltage-clamp electrophysiology of receptors expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. RESULTS EtOH potentiated α1 GlyRs in a concentration-dependent manner in the presence of zinc-chelating agents, but did not potentiate GLIC at pharmacologically relevant concentrations. The GLIC/GlyR chimera recapitulated the EtOH potentiation of GlyRs, without apparent sensitivity to zinc chelation. For chimera expression in oocytes, it was essential to suppress leakage current by adding 50 μM picrotoxin to the media, a technique that may have applications in expression of other ion channels. CONCLUSIONS Our results are consistent with a TM mechanism of EtOH modulation in Cys-loop receptors. This work highlights the relevance of bacterial homologs as valuable model systems for studying ion channel function of human receptors and demonstrates the modularity of these channels across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzzane Horani
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | - Evan P Stater
- Chemistry Department , Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York
| | - Pierre-Jean Corringer
- Channel-Receptor Research Group , Pasteur Institute, Bâtiment Fernbach, Paris, France
| | - James R Trudell
- Department of Anesthesia , Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - R Adron Harris
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | - Rebecca J Howard
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas.,Chemistry Department , Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York
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25
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Barrantes FJ. Phylogenetic conservation of protein-lipid motifs in pentameric ligand-gated ion channels. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2015; 1848:1796-805. [PMID: 25839355 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2015.03.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2015] [Revised: 03/20/2015] [Accepted: 03/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Using the crosstalk between the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) and its lipid microenvironment as a paradigm, this short overview analyzes the occurrence of structural motifs which appear not only to be conserved within the nAChR family and contemporary eukaryotic members of the pentameric ligand-gated ion channel (pLGIC) superfamily, but also extend to prokaryotic homologues found in bacteria. The evolutionarily conserved design is manifested in: 1) the concentric three-ring architecture of the transmembrane region, 2) the occurrence in this region of distinct lipid consensus motifs in prokaryotic and eukaryotic pLGIC and 3) the key participation of the outer TM4 ring in conveying the influence of the lipid membrane environment to the middle TM1-TM3 ring and this, in turn, to the inner TM2 channel-lining ring, which determines the ion selectivity of the channel. The preservation of these constant structural-functional features throughout such a long phylogenetic span likely points to the successful gain-of-function conferred by their early acquisition. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Lipid-protein interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco J Barrantes
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Institute for Biomedical Research (BIOMED), Faculty of Medical Sciences, UCA-CONICET, Av. Alicia Moreau de Justo 1600, C1107AFF Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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26
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27
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Abstract
Ion channels open and close in response to diverse stimuli, and the molecular events underlying these processes are extensively modulated by ligands of both endogenous and exogenous origin. In the past decade, high-resolution structures of several channel types have been solved, providing unprecedented details of the molecular architecture of these membrane proteins. Intrinsic conformational flexibility of ion channels critically governs their functions. However, the dynamics underlying gating mechanisms and modulations are obscured in the information from crystal structures. While nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic methods allow direct measurements of protein dynamics, they are limited by the large size of these membrane protein assemblies in detergent micelles or lipid membranes. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy has emerged as a key biophysical tool to characterize structural dynamics of ion channels and to determine stimulus-driven conformational transition between functional states in a physiological environment. This review will provide an overview of the recent advances in the field of voltage- and ligand-gated channels and highlight some of the challenges and controversies surrounding the structural information available. It will discuss general methods used in site-directed spin labeling and EPR spectroscopy and illustrate how findings from these studies have narrowed the gap between high-resolution structures and gating mechanisms in membranes, and have thereby helped reconcile seemingly disparate models of ion channel function.
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28
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Cecchini M, Changeux JP. The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and its prokaryotic homologues: Structure, conformational transitions & allosteric modulation. Neuropharmacology 2014; 96:137-49. [PMID: 25529272 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2014.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2014] [Revised: 11/27/2014] [Accepted: 12/03/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) play a central role in intercellular communications in the nervous system by converting the binding of a chemical messenger - a neurotransmitter - into an ion flux through the postsynaptic membrane. Here, we present an overview of the most recent advances on the signal transduction mechanism boosted by X-ray crystallography of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic homologues of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) in conjunction with time-resolved analyses based on single-channel electrophysiology and Molecular Dynamics simulations. The available data consistently point to a global mechanism of gating that involves a large reorganization of the receptor mediated by two distinct quaternary transitions: a global twisting and a radial expansion/contraction of the extracellular domain. These transitions profoundly modify the organization of the interface between subunits, which host several sites for orthosteric and allosteric modulatory ligands. The same mechanism may thus mediate both positive and negative allosteric modulations of pLGICs ligand binding at topographically distinct sites. The emerging picture of signal transduction is expected to pave the way to new pharmacological strategies for the development of allosteric modulators of nAChR and pLGICs in general. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'The Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor: From Molecular Biology to Cognition'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Cecchini
- ISIS, UMR 7006 CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, F-67083 Strasbourg Cedex, France.
| | - Jean-Pierre Changeux
- CNRS, URA 2182, F-75015 Paris, France; Collège de France, F-75005 Paris, France; Kavli Institute for Brain & Mind University of California, San Diego La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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29
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Arcario MJ, Mayne CG, Tajkhorshid E. Atomistic models of general anesthetics for use in in silico biological studies. J Phys Chem B 2014; 118:12075-86. [PMID: 25303275 PMCID: PMC4207551 DOI: 10.1021/jp502716m] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
![]()
While small molecules have been used
to induce anesthesia in a
clinical setting for well over a century, a detailed understanding
of the molecular mechanism remains elusive. In this study, we utilize
ab initio calculations to develop a novel set of CHARMM-compatible
parameters for the ubiquitous modern anesthetics desflurane, isoflurane,
sevoflurane, and propofol for use in molecular dynamics (MD) simulations.
The parameters generated were rigorously tested against known experimental
physicochemical properties including dipole moment, density, enthalpy
of vaporization, and free energy of solvation. In all cases, the anesthetic
parameters were able to reproduce experimental measurements, signifying
the robustness and accuracy of the atomistic models developed. The
models were then used to study the interaction of anesthetics with
the membrane. Calculation of the potential of mean force for inserting
the molecules into a POPC bilayer revealed a distinct energetic minimum
of 4–5 kcal/mol relative to aqueous solution at the level of
the glycerol backbone in the membrane. The location of this minimum
within the membrane suggests that anesthetics partition to the membrane
prior to binding their ion channel targets, giving context to the
Meyer–Overton correlation. Moreover, MD simulations of these
drugs in the membrane give rise to computed membrane structural parameters,
including atomic distribution, deuterium order parameters, dipole
potential, and lateral stress profile, that indicate partitioning
of anesthetics into the membrane at the concentration range studied
here, which does not appear to perturb the structural integrity of
the lipid bilayer. These results signify that an indirect, membrane-mediated
mechanism of channel modulation is unlikely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark J Arcario
- Center for Biophysics and Computational Biology, Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, and Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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Christopoulos A, Changeux JP, Catterall WA, Fabbro D, Burris TP, Cidlowski JA, Olsen RW, Peters JA, Neubig RR, Pin JP, Sexton PM, Kenakin TP, Ehlert FJ, Spedding M, Langmead CJ. International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. XC. multisite pharmacology: recommendations for the nomenclature of receptor allosterism and allosteric ligands. Pharmacol Rev 2014; 66:918-47. [PMID: 25026896 PMCID: PMC11060431 DOI: 10.1124/pr.114.008862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 151] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Allosteric interactions play vital roles in metabolic processes and signal transduction and, more recently, have become the focus of numerous pharmacological studies because of the potential for discovering more target-selective chemical probes and therapeutic agents. In addition to classic early studies on enzymes, there are now examples of small molecule allosteric modulators for all superfamilies of receptors encoded by the genome, including ligand- and voltage-gated ion channels, G protein-coupled receptors, nuclear hormone receptors, and receptor tyrosine kinases. As a consequence, a vast array of pharmacologic behaviors has been ascribed to allosteric ligands that can vary in a target-, ligand-, and cell-/tissue-dependent manner. The current article presents an overview of allostery as applied to receptor families and approaches for detecting and validating allosteric interactions and gives recommendations for the nomenclature of allosteric ligands and their properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Christopoulos
- Drug Discovery Biology and Department of Pharmacology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia (A.C., P.M.S., C.J.L.); Collège de France and CNRS URA 2182, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France (J.-P.C.); Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington (W.A.C.); PIQUR Therapeutics AG, Basel, Switzerland (D.F.); Department of Pharmacological & Physiological Science, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Louisiana (T.P.B.); Signal Transduction Laboratory, Molecular Endocrinology Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (J.A.C.); Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, California (R.W.O.); Division of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom (J.A.P.); Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan (R.R.N.); Institut de Genomique Fonctionelle, CNRS, Montpellier, France (J.-P.P.); Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina (T.P.K.); Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Irvine, California (F.J.E.); and Research Solutions SARL, Paris, France (M.S.)
| | - Jean-Pierre Changeux
- Drug Discovery Biology and Department of Pharmacology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia (A.C., P.M.S., C.J.L.); Collège de France and CNRS URA 2182, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France (J.-P.C.); Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington (W.A.C.); PIQUR Therapeutics AG, Basel, Switzerland (D.F.); Department of Pharmacological & Physiological Science, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Louisiana (T.P.B.); Signal Transduction Laboratory, Molecular Endocrinology Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (J.A.C.); Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, California (R.W.O.); Division of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom (J.A.P.); Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan (R.R.N.); Institut de Genomique Fonctionelle, CNRS, Montpellier, France (J.-P.P.); Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina (T.P.K.); Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Irvine, California (F.J.E.); and Research Solutions SARL, Paris, France (M.S.)
| | - William A Catterall
- Drug Discovery Biology and Department of Pharmacology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia (A.C., P.M.S., C.J.L.); Collège de France and CNRS URA 2182, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France (J.-P.C.); Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington (W.A.C.); PIQUR Therapeutics AG, Basel, Switzerland (D.F.); Department of Pharmacological & Physiological Science, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Louisiana (T.P.B.); Signal Transduction Laboratory, Molecular Endocrinology Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (J.A.C.); Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, California (R.W.O.); Division of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom (J.A.P.); Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan (R.R.N.); Institut de Genomique Fonctionelle, CNRS, Montpellier, France (J.-P.P.); Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina (T.P.K.); Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Irvine, California (F.J.E.); and Research Solutions SARL, Paris, France (M.S.)
| | - Doriano Fabbro
- Drug Discovery Biology and Department of Pharmacology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia (A.C., P.M.S., C.J.L.); Collège de France and CNRS URA 2182, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France (J.-P.C.); Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington (W.A.C.); PIQUR Therapeutics AG, Basel, Switzerland (D.F.); Department of Pharmacological & Physiological Science, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Louisiana (T.P.B.); Signal Transduction Laboratory, Molecular Endocrinology Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (J.A.C.); Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, California (R.W.O.); Division of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom (J.A.P.); Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan (R.R.N.); Institut de Genomique Fonctionelle, CNRS, Montpellier, France (J.-P.P.); Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina (T.P.K.); Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Irvine, California (F.J.E.); and Research Solutions SARL, Paris, France (M.S.)
| | - Thomas P Burris
- Drug Discovery Biology and Department of Pharmacology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia (A.C., P.M.S., C.J.L.); Collège de France and CNRS URA 2182, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France (J.-P.C.); Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington (W.A.C.); PIQUR Therapeutics AG, Basel, Switzerland (D.F.); Department of Pharmacological & Physiological Science, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Louisiana (T.P.B.); Signal Transduction Laboratory, Molecular Endocrinology Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (J.A.C.); Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, California (R.W.O.); Division of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom (J.A.P.); Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan (R.R.N.); Institut de Genomique Fonctionelle, CNRS, Montpellier, France (J.-P.P.); Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina (T.P.K.); Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Irvine, California (F.J.E.); and Research Solutions SARL, Paris, France (M.S.)
| | - John A Cidlowski
- Drug Discovery Biology and Department of Pharmacology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia (A.C., P.M.S., C.J.L.); Collège de France and CNRS URA 2182, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France (J.-P.C.); Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington (W.A.C.); PIQUR Therapeutics AG, Basel, Switzerland (D.F.); Department of Pharmacological & Physiological Science, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Louisiana (T.P.B.); Signal Transduction Laboratory, Molecular Endocrinology Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (J.A.C.); Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, California (R.W.O.); Division of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom (J.A.P.); Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan (R.R.N.); Institut de Genomique Fonctionelle, CNRS, Montpellier, France (J.-P.P.); Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina (T.P.K.); Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Irvine, California (F.J.E.); and Research Solutions SARL, Paris, France (M.S.)
| | - Richard W Olsen
- Drug Discovery Biology and Department of Pharmacology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia (A.C., P.M.S., C.J.L.); Collège de France and CNRS URA 2182, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France (J.-P.C.); Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington (W.A.C.); PIQUR Therapeutics AG, Basel, Switzerland (D.F.); Department of Pharmacological & Physiological Science, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Louisiana (T.P.B.); Signal Transduction Laboratory, Molecular Endocrinology Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (J.A.C.); Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, California (R.W.O.); Division of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom (J.A.P.); Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan (R.R.N.); Institut de Genomique Fonctionelle, CNRS, Montpellier, France (J.-P.P.); Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina (T.P.K.); Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Irvine, California (F.J.E.); and Research Solutions SARL, Paris, France (M.S.)
| | - John A Peters
- Drug Discovery Biology and Department of Pharmacology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia (A.C., P.M.S., C.J.L.); Collège de France and CNRS URA 2182, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France (J.-P.C.); Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington (W.A.C.); PIQUR Therapeutics AG, Basel, Switzerland (D.F.); Department of Pharmacological & Physiological Science, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Louisiana (T.P.B.); Signal Transduction Laboratory, Molecular Endocrinology Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (J.A.C.); Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, California (R.W.O.); Division of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom (J.A.P.); Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan (R.R.N.); Institut de Genomique Fonctionelle, CNRS, Montpellier, France (J.-P.P.); Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina (T.P.K.); Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Irvine, California (F.J.E.); and Research Solutions SARL, Paris, France (M.S.)
| | - Richard R Neubig
- Drug Discovery Biology and Department of Pharmacology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia (A.C., P.M.S., C.J.L.); Collège de France and CNRS URA 2182, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France (J.-P.C.); Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington (W.A.C.); PIQUR Therapeutics AG, Basel, Switzerland (D.F.); Department of Pharmacological & Physiological Science, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Louisiana (T.P.B.); Signal Transduction Laboratory, Molecular Endocrinology Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (J.A.C.); Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, California (R.W.O.); Division of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom (J.A.P.); Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan (R.R.N.); Institut de Genomique Fonctionelle, CNRS, Montpellier, France (J.-P.P.); Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina (T.P.K.); Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Irvine, California (F.J.E.); and Research Solutions SARL, Paris, France (M.S.)
| | - Jean-Philippe Pin
- Drug Discovery Biology and Department of Pharmacology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia (A.C., P.M.S., C.J.L.); Collège de France and CNRS URA 2182, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France (J.-P.C.); Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington (W.A.C.); PIQUR Therapeutics AG, Basel, Switzerland (D.F.); Department of Pharmacological & Physiological Science, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Louisiana (T.P.B.); Signal Transduction Laboratory, Molecular Endocrinology Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (J.A.C.); Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, California (R.W.O.); Division of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom (J.A.P.); Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan (R.R.N.); Institut de Genomique Fonctionelle, CNRS, Montpellier, France (J.-P.P.); Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina (T.P.K.); Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Irvine, California (F.J.E.); and Research Solutions SARL, Paris, France (M.S.)
| | - Patrick M Sexton
- Drug Discovery Biology and Department of Pharmacology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia (A.C., P.M.S., C.J.L.); Collège de France and CNRS URA 2182, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France (J.-P.C.); Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington (W.A.C.); PIQUR Therapeutics AG, Basel, Switzerland (D.F.); Department of Pharmacological & Physiological Science, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Louisiana (T.P.B.); Signal Transduction Laboratory, Molecular Endocrinology Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (J.A.C.); Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, California (R.W.O.); Division of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom (J.A.P.); Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan (R.R.N.); Institut de Genomique Fonctionelle, CNRS, Montpellier, France (J.-P.P.); Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina (T.P.K.); Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Irvine, California (F.J.E.); and Research Solutions SARL, Paris, France (M.S.)
| | - Terry P Kenakin
- Drug Discovery Biology and Department of Pharmacology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia (A.C., P.M.S., C.J.L.); Collège de France and CNRS URA 2182, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France (J.-P.C.); Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington (W.A.C.); PIQUR Therapeutics AG, Basel, Switzerland (D.F.); Department of Pharmacological & Physiological Science, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Louisiana (T.P.B.); Signal Transduction Laboratory, Molecular Endocrinology Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (J.A.C.); Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, California (R.W.O.); Division of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom (J.A.P.); Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan (R.R.N.); Institut de Genomique Fonctionelle, CNRS, Montpellier, France (J.-P.P.); Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina (T.P.K.); Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Irvine, California (F.J.E.); and Research Solutions SARL, Paris, France (M.S.)
| | - Frederick J Ehlert
- Drug Discovery Biology and Department of Pharmacology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia (A.C., P.M.S., C.J.L.); Collège de France and CNRS URA 2182, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France (J.-P.C.); Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington (W.A.C.); PIQUR Therapeutics AG, Basel, Switzerland (D.F.); Department of Pharmacological & Physiological Science, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Louisiana (T.P.B.); Signal Transduction Laboratory, Molecular Endocrinology Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (J.A.C.); Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, California (R.W.O.); Division of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom (J.A.P.); Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan (R.R.N.); Institut de Genomique Fonctionelle, CNRS, Montpellier, France (J.-P.P.); Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina (T.P.K.); Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Irvine, California (F.J.E.); and Research Solutions SARL, Paris, France (M.S.)
| | - Michael Spedding
- Drug Discovery Biology and Department of Pharmacology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia (A.C., P.M.S., C.J.L.); Collège de France and CNRS URA 2182, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France (J.-P.C.); Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington (W.A.C.); PIQUR Therapeutics AG, Basel, Switzerland (D.F.); Department of Pharmacological & Physiological Science, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Louisiana (T.P.B.); Signal Transduction Laboratory, Molecular Endocrinology Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (J.A.C.); Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, California (R.W.O.); Division of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom (J.A.P.); Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan (R.R.N.); Institut de Genomique Fonctionelle, CNRS, Montpellier, France (J.-P.P.); Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina (T.P.K.); Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Irvine, California (F.J.E.); and Research Solutions SARL, Paris, France (M.S.)
| | - Christopher J Langmead
- Drug Discovery Biology and Department of Pharmacology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia (A.C., P.M.S., C.J.L.); Collège de France and CNRS URA 2182, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France (J.-P.C.); Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington (W.A.C.); PIQUR Therapeutics AG, Basel, Switzerland (D.F.); Department of Pharmacological & Physiological Science, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Louisiana (T.P.B.); Signal Transduction Laboratory, Molecular Endocrinology Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (J.A.C.); Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, California (R.W.O.); Division of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom (J.A.P.); Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan (R.R.N.); Institut de Genomique Fonctionelle, CNRS, Montpellier, France (J.-P.P.); Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina (T.P.K.); Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Irvine, California (F.J.E.); and Research Solutions SARL, Paris, France (M.S.)
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Peters GH, Werge M, Elf-Lind MN, Madsen JJ, Velardez GF, Westh P. Interaction of neurotransmitters with a phospholipid bilayer: a molecular dynamics study. Chem Phys Lipids 2014; 184:7-17. [PMID: 25159594 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphyslip.2014.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2013] [Revised: 08/14/2014] [Accepted: 08/22/2014] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
We have performed a series of molecular dynamics simulations to study the interactions between the neurotransmitters (NTs) γ-aminobutyrate (GABA), glycine (GLY), acetylcholine (ACH) and glutamate (GLU) as well as the amidated/acetylated γ-aminobutyrate (GABA(neu)) and the osmolyte molecule glycerol (GOL) with a dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) bilayer. In agreement with previously published experimental data, we found the lowest membrane affinity for the charged molecules and a moderate affinity for zwitterionic and polar molecules. The affinity can be ranked as follows: ACH-GLU<<GABA<GLY<<GABA(neu)<<GOL. The latter three penetrated the bilayer at most with the deepest location being close to the glycerol backbone of the phospholipids. Even at that position, these solutes were noticeably hydrated and carried ∼30-80% of the bulk water along. The mobility of hydration water at the solute is also affected by the penetration into the bilayer. Two time scales of exchanging water molecules could be determined. In the bulk phase, the hydration layer contains ∼20% slow exchanging water molecules which increases 2-3 times as the solutes entered the bilayer. Our results indicate that there is no intermediate exchange of slow moving water molecules from the solutes to the lipid atoms and vice versa. Instead, the exchange relies on the reservoir of unbounded ("free") water molecules in the interfacial bilayer region. Results from the equilibrium simulations are in good agreement with the results from umbrella sampling simulations, which were conducted for the four naturally occurring NTs. Free energy profiles for ACH and GLU show a minimum of ∼2-3 kJ/mol close to the bilayer interface, while for GABA and GLY, a minimum of respectively ∼2 kJ/mol and ∼5 kJ/mol is observed when these NTs are located in the vicinity of the lipid glycerol backbone. The most important interaction of NTs with the bilayer is the charged amino group of NTs with the lipid phosphate group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Günther H Peters
- Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby 2800, Denmark.
| | - Mikkel Werge
- Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | | | - Jesper J Madsen
- Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Gustavo F Velardez
- Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Peter Westh
- NSM, Research Unit for Functional Biomaterials, Roskilde University, Roskilde 4000, Denmark.
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Crystallographic studies of pharmacological sites in pentameric ligand-gated ion channels. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2014; 1850:511-23. [PMID: 24836522 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2014.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2014] [Revised: 05/05/2014] [Accepted: 05/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) mediate fast chemical transmission of nerve signals in the central and peripheral nervous system. On the functional side, these molecules respond to the binding of a neurotransmitter (glycine, GABA, acetylcholine or 5HT3) in the extracellular domain (ECD) by opening their ionotropic pore in the transmembrane domain (TMD). The response to the neurotransmitter binding can be modulated by several chemical compounds acting at topographically distinct sites, as documented by a large body of literature. Notably, these receptors are the target of several classes of world-wide prescribed drugs, including general anesthetics, smoking cessation aids, anxiolytics, anticonvulsants, muscle relaxants, hypnotics and anti-emetics. On the structural side recent progress has been made on the crystallization of pLGICs in its different allosteric states, especially pLGICs of bacterial origin. Therefore, structure-function relationships can now be discussed at the atomic level for pLGICs. SCOPE OF REVIEW This review focuses on the crystallographic structure of complexes of pLGICs with a number of ligands of pharmacological interest. First, we review structural data on two key functional aspects of these receptors: the agonist-induced activation and ion transport itself. The molecular understanding of both these functional aspects is important, as they are those that most pharmacological compounds target. Next, we describe modulation sites that have recently been documented by X-ray crystallography. Finally, we propose a simple geometric classification of all these pharmacological sites in pLGICs, based on icosahedrons. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS This review illustrates the wealth of structural insight gained by comparing all available structures of members of the pLGIC family to rationalize the pharmacology of structurally diverse drugs acting at topographically distinct sites. It will be highlighted how sites that had been described earlier using biochemical techniques can be rationalized using structural data. Surprisingly, the use of icosahedral symmetry allows to link together several modulation sites, in a way that was totally unanticipated. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE Overall, understanding the interplay between the different modulation sites at the structural level should help the design of future drugs targeting pLGICs. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled structural biochemistry and biophysics of membrane proteins.
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Salari R, Murlidaran S, Brannigan G. Pentameric Ligand-gated Ion Channels : Insights from Computation. MOLECULAR SIMULATION 2014; 40:821-829. [PMID: 25931676 PMCID: PMC4412168 DOI: 10.1080/08927022.2014.896462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) conduct upon the binding of an agonist and are fundamental to neurotransmission. New insights into the complex mechanisms underlying pLGIC gating, ion selectivity, and modulation have recently been gained via a series of crystal structures in prokaryotes and C .elegans, as well as computational studies relying on these structures. Here we review contributions from a variety of computational approaches, including normal mode analysis, automated docking, and fully atomistic molecular dynamics simulation. Examples from our own research, particularly concerning interactions with general anesthetics and lipids, are used to illustrate predictive results complementary to crystallographic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Salari
- Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ
- Department of Physics, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ
| | - Sruthi Murlidaran
- Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ
| | - Grace Brannigan
- Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ
- Department of Physics, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ
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daCosta CJB, Baenziger JE. Gating of pentameric ligand-gated ion channels: structural insights and ambiguities. Structure 2014; 21:1271-83. [PMID: 23931140 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2013.06.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2013] [Revised: 05/31/2013] [Accepted: 06/26/2013] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) mediate fast synaptic communication by converting chemical signals into an electrical response. Recently solved agonist-bound and agonist-free structures greatly extend our understanding of these complex molecular machines. A key challenge to a full description of function, however, is the ability to unequivocally relate determined structures to the canonical resting, open, and desensitized states. Here, we review current understanding of pLGIC structure, with a focus on the conformational changes underlying channel gating. We compare available structural information and review the evidence supporting the assignment of each structure to a particular conformational state. We discuss multiple factors that may complicate the interpretation of crystal structures, highlighting the potential influence of lipids and detergents. We contend that further advances in the structural biology of pLGICs will require deeper insight into the nature of pLGIC-lipid interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corrie J B daCosta
- Receptor Biology Laboratory, Departments of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
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Howard RJ, Trudell JR, Harris RA. Seeking structural specificity: direct modulation of pentameric ligand-gated ion channels by alcohols and general anesthetics. Pharmacol Rev 2014; 66:396-412. [PMID: 24515646 PMCID: PMC3973611 DOI: 10.1124/pr.113.007468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohols and other anesthetic agents dramatically alter neurologic function in a wide range of organisms, yet their molecular sites of action remain poorly characterized. Pentameric ligand-gated ion channels, long implicated in important direct effects of alcohol and anesthetic binding, have recently been illuminated in renewed detail thanks to the determination of atomic-resolution structures of several family members from lower organisms. These structures provide valuable models for understanding and developing anesthetic agents and for allosteric modulation in general. This review surveys progress in this field from function to structure and back again, outlining early evidence for relevant modulation of pentameric ligand-gated ion channels and the development of early structural models for ion channel function and modulation. We highlight insights and challenges provided by recent crystal structures and resulting simulations, as well as opportunities for translation of these newly detailed models back to behavior and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca J Howard
- Department of Chemistry, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.
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36
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Taly A, Hénin J, Changeux JP, Cecchini M. Allosteric regulation of pentameric ligand-gated ion channels: an emerging mechanistic perspective. Channels (Austin) 2014; 8:350-60. [PMID: 25478624 PMCID: PMC4203737 DOI: 10.4161/chan.29444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2014] [Revised: 06/03/2014] [Accepted: 06/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) play a central role in intercellular communications in the nervous system by converting the binding of a chemical messenger—a neurotransmitter—into an ion flux through the postsynaptic membrane. They are oligomeric assemblies that provide prototypical examples of allosterically regulated integral membrane proteins. Here, we present an overview of the most recent advances on the signal transduction mechanism based on the X-ray structures of both prokaryotic and invertebrate eukaryotic pLGICs and atomistic Molecular Dynamics simulations. The present results suggest that ion gating involves a large structural reorganization of the molecule mediated by two distinct quaternary transitions, a global twisting and the blooming of the extracellular domain, which can be modulated by ligand binding at the topographically distinct orthosteric and allosteric sites. The emerging model of gating is consistent with a wealth of functional studies and will boost the development of novel pharmacological strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Taly
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique; IBPC; CNRS and Université Paris Diderot; Paris, France
| | - Jérôme Hénin
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique; IBPC; CNRS and Université Paris Diderot; Paris, France
| | - Jean-Pierre Changeux
- CNRS; URA 2182; F-75015 & Collège de France; Paris, France
- Kavli Institute for Brain & Mind University of California; San Diego La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Marco Cecchini
- ISIS; UMR 7006 CNRS; Université de Strasbourg; F-67083 Strasbourg Cedex, France
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Chiara DC, Gill JF, Chen Q, Tillman T, Dailey WP, Eckenhoff RG, Xu Y, Tang P, Cohen JB. Photoaffinity labeling the propofol binding site in GLIC. Biochemistry 2013; 53:135-42. [PMID: 24341978 DOI: 10.1021/bi401492k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Propofol, an intravenous general anesthetic, produces many of its anesthetic effects in vivo by potentiating the responses of GABA type A receptors (GABAAR), members of the superfamily of pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) that contain anion-selective channels. Propofol also inhibits pLGICs containing cation-selective channels, including nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and GLIC, a prokaryotic proton-gated homologue from Gloeobacter violaceus . In the structure of GLIC cocrystallized with propofol at pH 4 (presumed open/desensitized states), propofol was localized to an intrasubunit pocket at the extracellular end of the transmembrane domain within the bundle of transmembrane α-helices (Nury, H, et al. (2011) Nature 469, 428-431). To identify propofol binding sites in GLIC in solution, we used a recently developed photoreactive propofol analogue (2-isopropyl-5-[3-(trifluoromethyl)-3H-diazirin-3-yl]phenol or AziPm) that acts as an anesthetic in vivo and potentiates GABAAR in vitro. For GLIC expressed in Xenopus oocytes, propofol and AziPm inhibited current responses at pH 5.5 (EC20) with IC50 values of 20 and 50 μM, respectively. When [(3)H]AziPm (7 μM) was used to photolabel detergent-solubilized, affinity-purified GLIC at pH 4.4, protein microsequencing identified propofol-inhibitable photolabeling of three residues in the GLIC transmembrane domain: Met-205, Tyr-254, and Asn-307 in the M1, M3, and M4 transmembrane helices, respectively. Thus, for GLIC in solution, propofol and AziPm bind competitively to a site in proximity to these residues, which, in the GLIC crystal structure, are in contact with the propofol bound in the intrasubunit pocket.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Chiara
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School , Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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38
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Laha KT, Ghosh B, Czajkowski C. Macroscopic kinetics of pentameric ligand gated ion channels: comparisons between two prokaryotic channels and one eukaryotic channel. PLoS One 2013; 8:e80322. [PMID: 24260369 PMCID: PMC3833957 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2013] [Accepted: 10/10/2013] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Electrochemical signaling in the brain depends on pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs). Recently, crystal structures of prokaryotic pLGIC homologues from Erwinia chrysanthemi (ELIC) and Gloeobacter violaceus (GLIC) in presumed closed and open channel states have been solved, which provide insight into the structural mechanisms underlying channel activation. Although structural studies involving both ELIC and GLIC have become numerous, thorough functional characterizations of these channels are still needed to establish a reliable foundation for comparing kinetic properties. Here, we examined the kinetics of ELIC and GLIC current activation, desensitization, and deactivation and compared them to the GABAA receptor, a prototypic eukaryotic pLGIC. Outside-out patch-clamp recordings were performed with HEK-293T cells expressing ELIC, GLIC, or α1β2γ2L GABAA receptors, and ultra-fast ligand application was used. In response to saturating agonist concentrations, we found both ELIC and GLIC current activation were two to three orders of magnitude slower than GABAA receptor current activation. The prokaryotic channels also had slower current desensitization on a timescale of seconds. ELIC and GLIC current deactivation following 25 s pulses of agonist (cysteamine and pH 4.0 buffer, respectively) were relatively fast with time constants of 24.9±5.1 ms and 1.2±0.2 ms, respectively. Surprisingly, ELIC currents evoked by GABA activated very slowly with a time constant of 1.3±0.3 s and deactivated even slower with a time constant of 4.6±1.2 s. We conclude that the prokaryotic pLGICs undergo similar agonist-mediated gating transitions to open and desensitized states as eukaryotic pLGICs, supporting their use as experimental models. Their uncharacteristic slow activation, slow desensitization and rapid deactivation time courses are likely due to differences in specific structural elements, whose future identification may help uncover mechanisms underlying pLGIC gating transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kurt T. Laha
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Borna Ghosh
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Biophysics Training Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Cynthia Czajkowski
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Biophysics Training Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Borghese CM, Hicks JA, Lapid DJ, Trudell JR, Harris RA. GABA(A) receptor transmembrane amino acids are critical for alcohol action: disulfide cross-linking and alkyl methanethiosulfonate labeling reveal relative location of binding sites. J Neurochem 2013; 128:363-75. [PMID: 24117469 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.12476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2013] [Revised: 09/26/2013] [Accepted: 09/30/2013] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Alcohols and inhaled anesthetics modulate GABA(A) receptor (GABA(A)R) function via putative binding sites within the transmembrane regions. The relative position of the amino acids lining these sites could be either inter- or intra-subunit. We introduced cysteines in relevant TM locations and tested the proximity of cysteine pairs using oxidizing and reducing agents to induce or break disulfide bridges between cysteines, and thus change GABA-mediated currents in wild-type and mutant α1β2γ2 GABA(A)Rs expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. We tested for: (i) inter-subunit cross-linking: a cysteine located in α1TM1 [either α1(Q229C) or α1(L232C)] was paired with a cysteine in different positions of β2TM2 and TM3; (ii) intra-subunit cross-linking: a cysteine located either in β2TM1 [β2(T225C)] or in TM2 [β2(N265C)] was paired with a cysteine in different locations along β2TM3. Three inter-subunit cysteine pairs and four intra-subunits cross-linked. In three intra-subunit cysteine combinations, the alcohol effect was reduced by oxidizing agents, suggesting intra-subunit alcohol binding. We conclude that the structure of the alcohol binding site changes during activation and that potentiation or inhibition by binding at inter- or intra-subunit sites is determined by the specific receptor and ligand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia M Borghese
- Cellular and Molecular Biology, Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
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40
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Structural basis for potentiation by alcohols and anaesthetics in a ligand-gated ion channel. Nat Commun 2013; 4:1697. [PMID: 23591864 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2012] [Accepted: 02/28/2013] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Ethanol alters nerve signalling by interacting with proteins in the central nervous system, particularly pentameric ligand-gated ion channels. A recent series of mutagenesis experiments on Gloeobacter violaceus ligand-gated ion channel, a prokaryotic member of this family, identified a single-site variant that is potentiated by pharmacologically relevant concentrations of ethanol. Here we determine crystal structures of the ethanol-sensitized variant in the absence and presence of ethanol and related modulators, which bind in a transmembrane cavity between channel subunits and may stabilize the open form of the channel. Structural and mutagenesis studies defined overlapping mechanisms of potentiation by alcohols and anaesthetics via the inter-subunit cavity. Furthermore, homology modelling show this cavity to be conserved in human ethanol-sensitive glycine and GABA(A) receptors, and to involve residues previously shown to influence alcohol and anaesthetic action on these proteins. These results suggest a common structural basis for ethanol potentiation of an important class of targets for neurological actions of ethanol.
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Lioudyno MI, Birch AM, Tanaka BS, Sokolov Y, Goldin AL, Chandy KG, Hall JE, Alkire MT. Shaker-related potassium channels in the central medial nucleus of the thalamus are important molecular targets for arousal suppression by volatile general anesthetics. J Neurosci 2013; 33:16310-22. [PMID: 24107962 PMCID: PMC3792466 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0344-13.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2013] [Revised: 08/30/2013] [Accepted: 09/05/2013] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular targets and neural circuits that underlie general anesthesia are not fully elucidated. Here, we directly demonstrate that Kv1-family (Shaker-related) delayed rectifier K(+) channels in the central medial thalamic nucleus (CMT) are important targets for volatile anesthetics. The modulation of Kv1 channels by volatiles is network specific as microinfusion of ShK, a potent inhibitor of Kv1.1, Kv1.3, and Kv1.6 channels, into the CMT awakened sevoflurane-anesthetized rodents. In heterologous expression systems, sevoflurane, isoflurane, and desflurane at subsurgical concentrations potentiated delayed rectifier Kv1 channels at low depolarizing potentials. In mouse thalamic brain slices, sevoflurane inhibited firing frequency and delayed the onset of action potentials in CMT neurons, and ShK-186, a Kv1.3-selective inhibitor, prevented these effects. Our findings demonstrate the exquisite sensitivity of delayed rectifier Kv1 channels to modulation by volatile anesthetics and highlight an arousal suppressing role of Kv1 channels in CMT neurons during the process of anesthesia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria I. Lioudyno
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-4561
| | - Alexandra M. Birch
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory and Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Care, University of California, Irvine, Orange, California 92868, and
| | - Brian S. Tanaka
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-4025
| | - Yuri Sokolov
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-4561
| | - Alan L. Goldin
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-4025
| | - K. George Chandy
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-4561
| | - James E. Hall
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-4561
| | - Michael T. Alkire
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory and Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Care, University of California, Irvine, Orange, California 92868, and
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42
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Heusser SA, Howard RJ, Borghese CM, Cullins MA, Broemstrup T, Lee US, Lindahl E, Carlsson J, Harris RA. Functional validation of virtual screening for novel agents with general anesthetic action at ligand-gated ion channels. Mol Pharmacol 2013; 84:670-8. [PMID: 23950219 DOI: 10.1124/mol.113.087692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
GABA(A) receptors play a crucial role in the actions of general anesthetics. The recently published crystal structure of the general anesthetic propofol bound to Gloeobacter violaceus ligand-gated ion channel (GLIC), a bacterial homolog of GABA(A) receptors, provided an opportunity to explore structure-based ligand discovery for pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs). We used molecular docking of 153,000 commercially available compounds to identify molecules that interact with the propofol binding site in GLIC. In total, 29 compounds were selected for functional testing on recombinant GLIC, and 16 of these compounds modulated GLIC function. Active compounds were also tested on recombinant GABA(A) receptors, and point mutations around the presumed binding pocket were introduced into GLIC and GABA(A) receptors to test for binding specificity. The potency of active compounds was only weakly correlated with properties such as lipophilicity or molecular weight. One compound was found to mimic the actions of propofol on GLIC and GABA(A), and to be sensitive to mutations that reduce the action of propofol in both receptors. Mutant receptors also provided insight about the position of the binding sites and the relevance of the receptor's conformation for anesthetic actions. Overall, the findings support the feasibility of the use of virtual screening to discover allosteric modulators of pLGICs, and suggest that GLIC is a valid model system to identify novel GABA(A) receptor ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie A Heusser
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland (S.A.H.); Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas (R.J.H., C.M.B., M.A.C., U.S.L., R.A.H.); Science for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden (T.B., E.L.); and Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Center for Biomembrane Research, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden (J.C.)
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43
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Inhibition versus potentiation of ligand-gated ion channels can be altered by a single mutation that moves ligands between intra- and intersubunit sites. Structure 2013; 21:1307-16. [PMID: 23891290 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2013.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2013] [Revised: 06/08/2013] [Accepted: 06/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) are similar in structure but either inhibited or potentiated by alcohols and anesthetics. This dual modulation has previously not been understood, but the determination of X-ray structures of prokaryotic GLIC provides an ideal model system. Here, we show that a single-site mutation at the F14' site in the GLIC transmembrane domain turns desflurane and chloroform from inhibitors to potentiators, and that this is explained by competing allosteric sites. The F14'A mutation opens an intersubunit site lined by N239 (15'), I240 (16'), and Y263. Free energy calculations confirm this site is the preferred binding location for desflurane and chloroform in GLIC F14'A. In contrast, both anesthetics prefer an intrasubunit site in wild-type GLIC. Modulation is therefore the net effect of competitive binding between the intersubunit potentiating site and an intrasubunit inhibitory site. This provides direct evidence for a dual-site model of allosteric regulation of pLGICs.
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Mareš J, Hrouzek P, Kaňa R, Ventura S, Strunecký O, Komárek J. The Primitive Thylakoid-Less Cyanobacterium Gloeobacter Is a Common Rock-Dwelling Organism. PLoS One 2013; 8:e66323. [PMID: 23823729 PMCID: PMC3688883 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0066323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2013] [Accepted: 05/03/2013] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyanobacteria are an ancient group of photosynthetic prokaryotes, which are significant in biogeochemical cycles. The most primitive among living cyanobacteria, Gloeobacter violaceus, shows a unique ancestral cell organization with a complete absence of inner membranes (thylakoids) and an uncommon structure of the photosynthetic apparatus. Numerous phylogenetic papers proved its basal position among all of the organisms and organelles capable of plant-like photosynthesis (i.e., cyanobacteria, chloroplasts of algae and plants). Hence, G. violaceus has become one of the key species in evolutionary study of photosynthetic life. It also numbers among the most widely used organisms in experimental photosynthesis research. Except for a few related culture isolates, there has been little data on the actual biology of Gloeobacter, being relegated to an "evolutionary curiosity" with an enigmatic identity. Here we show that members of the genus Gloeobacter probably are common rock-dwelling cyanobacteria. On the basis of morphological, ultrastructural, pigment, and phylogenetic comparisons of available Gloeobacter strains, as well as on the basis of three new independent isolates and historical type specimen, we have produced strong evidence as to the close relationship of Gloeobacter to a long known rock-dwelling cyanobacterial morphospecies Aphanothece caldariorum. Our results bring new clues to solving the 40 year old puzzle of the true biological identity of Gloeobacter violaceus, a model organism with a high value in several biological disciplines. A probable broader distribution of Gloeobacter in common wet-rock habitats worldwide is suggested by our data, and its ecological meaning is discussed taking into consideration the background of cyanobacterial evolution. We provide observations of previously unknown genetic variability and phenotypic plasticity, which we expect to be utilized by experimental and evolutionary researchers worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Mareš
- Institute of Botany ASCR, Centre for Phycology, Třeboň, Czech Republic
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Hrouzek
- Institute of Microbiology ASCR, Department of Autotrophic Microorganisms - ALGATECH, Třeboň, Czech Republic
| | - Radek Kaňa
- Institute of Microbiology ASCR, Department of Autotrophic Microorganisms - ALGATECH, Třeboň, Czech Republic
| | - Stefano Ventura
- CNR-ISE Istituto per lo Studio degli Ecosistemi, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Otakar Strunecký
- Institute of Botany ASCR, Centre for Phycology, Třeboň, Czech Republic
- Centre for Polar Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Komárek
- Institute of Botany ASCR, Centre for Phycology, Třeboň, Czech Republic
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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Ghosh B, Satyshur KA, Czajkowski C. Propofol binding to the resting state of the gloeobacter violaceus ligand-gated ion channel (GLIC) induces structural changes in the inter- and intrasubunit transmembrane domain (TMD) cavities. J Biol Chem 2013; 288:17420-31. [PMID: 23640880 PMCID: PMC3682542 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m113.464040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2013] [Revised: 04/06/2013] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
General anesthetics exert many of their CNS actions by binding to and modulating membrane-embedded pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs). The structural mechanisms underlying how anesthetics modulate pLGIC function remain largely unknown. GLIC, a prokaryotic pLGIC homologue, is inhibited by general anesthetics, suggesting anesthetics stabilize a closed channel state, but in anesthetic-bound GLIC crystal structures the channel appears open. Here, using functional GLIC channels expressed in oocytes, we examined whether propofol induces structural rearrangements in the GLIC transmembrane domain (TMD). Residues in the GLIC TMD that frame intrasubunit and intersubunit water-accessible cavities were individually mutated to cysteine. We measured and compared the rates of modification of the introduced cysteines by sulfhydryl-reactive reagents in the absence and presence of propofol. Propofol slowed the rate of modification of L240C (intersubunit) and increased the rate of modification of T254C (intrasubunit), indicating that propofol binding induces structural rearrangements in these cavities that alter the local environment near these residues. Propofol acceleration of T254C modification suggests that in the resting state propofol does not bind in the TMD intrasubunit cavity as observed in the crystal structure of GLIC with bound propofol (Nury, H., Van Renterghem, C., Weng, Y., Tran, A., Baaden, M., Dufresne, V., Changeux, J. P., Sonner, J. M., Delarue, M., and Corringer, P. J. (2011) Nature 469, 428-431). In silico docking using a GLIC closed channel homology model suggests propofol binds to intersubunit sites in the TMD in the resting state. Propofol-induced motions in the intersubunit cavity were distinct from motions associated with channel activation, indicating propofol stabilizes a novel closed state.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kenneth A. Satyshur
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53711
| | - Cynthia Czajkowski
- From the Molecular Biophysics Program and
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53711
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46
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Prevost MS, Delarue-Cochin S, Marteaux J, Colas C, Van Renterghem C, Blondel A, Malliavin T, Corringer PJ, Joseph D. Identification of Cinnamic Acid Derivatives As Novel Antagonists of the Prokaryotic Proton-Gated Ion Channel GLIC. J Med Chem 2013; 56:4619-30. [DOI: 10.1021/jm400374q] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marie S. Prevost
- Institut Pasteur, Unité Récepteurs-Canaux,
Paris, France
- CNRS UMR 3571, Paris, France
- Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC), Cellule Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Sandrine Delarue-Cochin
- Université Paris-Sud, Équipe de Chimie des Substances Naturelles, Châtenay-Malabry,
France
- CNRS UMR 8076 BioCIS, Châtenay-Malabry, France
| | - Justine Marteaux
- Université Paris-Sud, Équipe de Chimie des Substances Naturelles, Châtenay-Malabry,
France
- CNRS UMR 8076 BioCIS, Châtenay-Malabry, France
| | - Claire Colas
- Institut Pasteur, Unité de Bioinformatique Structurale, Paris, France
- CNRS UMR 3528, Paris, France
| | | | - Arnaud Blondel
- Institut Pasteur, Unité de Bioinformatique Structurale, Paris, France
- CNRS UMR 3528, Paris, France
| | - Thérèse Malliavin
- Institut Pasteur, Unité de Bioinformatique Structurale, Paris, France
- CNRS UMR 3528, Paris, France
| | - Pierre-Jean Corringer
- Institut Pasteur, Unité Récepteurs-Canaux,
Paris, France
- CNRS UMR 3571, Paris, France
| | - Delphine Joseph
- Université Paris-Sud, Équipe de Chimie des Substances Naturelles, Châtenay-Malabry,
France
- CNRS UMR 8076 BioCIS, Châtenay-Malabry, France
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47
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Signal transduction pathways in the pentameric ligand-gated ion channels. PLoS One 2013; 8:e64326. [PMID: 23667707 PMCID: PMC3648548 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0064326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2013] [Accepted: 04/13/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms of allosteric action within pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) remain to be determined. Using crystallography, site-directed mutagenesis, and two-electrode voltage clamp measurements, we identified two functionally relevant sites in the extracellular (EC) domain of the bacterial pLGIC from Gloeobacter violaceus (GLIC). One site is at the C-loop region, where the NQN mutation (D91N, E177Q, and D178N) eliminated inter-subunit salt bridges in the open-channel GLIC structure and thereby shifted the channel activation to a higher agonist concentration. The other site is below the C-loop, where binding of the anesthetic ketamine inhibited GLIC currents in a concentration dependent manner. To understand how a perturbation signal in the EC domain, either resulting from the NQN mutation or ketamine binding, is transduced to the channel gate, we have used the Perturbation-based Markovian Transmission (PMT) model to determine dynamic responses of the GLIC channel and signaling pathways upon initial perturbations in the EC domain of GLIC. Despite the existence of many possible routes for the initial perturbation signal to reach the channel gate, the PMT model in combination with Yen's algorithm revealed that perturbation signals with the highest probability flow travel either via the β1–β2 loop or through pre-TM1. The β1–β2 loop occurs in either intra- or inter-subunit pathways, while pre-TM1 occurs exclusively in inter-subunit pathways. Residues involved in both types of pathways are well supported by previous experimental data on nAChR. The direct coupling between pre-TM1 and TM2 of the adjacent subunit adds new insight into the allosteric signaling mechanism in pLGICs.
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48
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Labriola JM, Pandhare A, Jansen M, Blanton MP, Corringer PJ, Baenziger JE. Structural sensitivity of a prokaryotic pentameric ligand-gated ion channel to its membrane environment. J Biol Chem 2013; 288:11294-303. [PMID: 23463505 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m113.458133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the activity of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) is exquisitely sensitive to its membrane environment, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly defined. The homologous prokaryotic pentameric ligand-gated ion channel, Gloebacter ligand-gated ion channel (GLIC), represents an excellent model for probing the molecular basis of nAChR sensitivity because of its high structural homology, relative ease of expression, and amenability to crystallographic analysis. We show here that membrane-reconstituted GLIC exhibits structural and biophysical properties similar to those of the membrane-reconstituted nAChR, although GLIC is substantially more thermally stable. GLIC, however, does not possess the same exquisite lipid sensitivity. In particular, GLIC does not exhibit the same propensity to adopt an uncoupled conformation where agonist binding is uncoupled from channel gating. Structural comparisons provide insight into the chemical features that may predispose the nAChR to the formation of an uncoupled state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M Labriola
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M5, Canada
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Abstract
Volatile anesthetics serve as useful probes of a conserved biological process that is essential to the proper functioning of the central nervous system. A kinetic and thermodynamic analysis of their unusual pharmacological and physiological characteristics has led to a general, predictive theory in which small molecules that adsorb to membranes modulate ion channel function by altering physical properties of membrane bilayers. A kinetic model that is both parsimonious and falsifiable has been developed to test this mechanism. This theory leads to predictions about the structure, function, origin, and evolution of synapses, the etiology of several diseases and disease symptoms affecting the brain, and the mechanism of action of several drugs that are used therapeutically. Neuronal membranes may offer an appealing drug target, given the large number of compounds that adsorb to interfaces and hence membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- James M Sonner
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143-0464, USA.
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Mowrey D, Cheng MH, Liu LT, Willenbring D, Lu X, Wymore T, Xu Y, Tang P. Asymmetric ligand binding facilitates conformational transitions in pentameric ligand-gated ion channels. J Am Chem Soc 2013; 135:2172-80. [PMID: 23339564 DOI: 10.1021/ja307275v] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The anesthetic propofol inhibits the currents of the homopentameric ligand-gated ion channel GLIC, yet the crystal structure of GLIC with five propofol molecules bound symmetrically shows an open-channel conformation. To address this dilemma and determine if the symmetry of propofol binding sites affects the channel conformational transition, we performed a total of 1.5 μs of molecular dynamics simulations for different GLIC systems with propofol occupancies of 0, 1, 2, 3, and 5. GLIC without propofol binding or with five propofol molecules bound symmetrically, showed similar channel conformation and hydration status over multiple replicates of 100-ns simulations. In contrast, asymmetric binding to one, two or three equivalent sites in different subunits accelerated the channel dehydration, increased the conformational heterogeneity of the pore-lining TM2 helices, and shifted the lateral and radial tilting angles of TM2 toward a closed-channel conformation. The results differentiate two groups of systems based on the propofol binding symmetry. The difference between symmetric and asymmetric groups is correlated with the variance in the propofol-binding cavity adjacent to the hydrophobic gate and the force imposed by the bound propofol. Asymmetrically bound propofol produced greater variance in the cavity size that could further elevate the conformation heterogeneity. The force trajectory generated by propofol in each subunit over the course of a simulation exhibits an ellipsoidal shape, which has the larger component tangential to the pore. Asymmetric propofol binding creates an unbalanced force that expedites the channel conformation transitions. The findings from this study not only suggest that asymmetric binding underlies the propofol functional inhibition of GLIC, but also advocate for the role of symmetry breaking in facilitating channel conformational transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Mowrey
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, USA
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