The structure of a light-sensitive G protein-coupled receptor in complex with a Gi-protein heterotrimer provides a structural foundation for the role of the receptor C-terminal tail in scaffolding and signaling.
A G protein in striatal neurons forms preassembled complexes with its downstream enzyme, adenylyl cyclase, which has implications for the pathophysiology of movement disorders.
Weiwei Wang, Matthew R Whorton, Roderick MacKinnon
The G protein subunits Gβγ and the signaling lipid PIP2 are simultaneously needed to activate the potassium ion channel GIRK2 to control the voltage across a lipid bilayer, while sodium ions modulate these molecules' effects.
Sandeep Dembla, Marc Behrendt ... Johannes Oberwinkler
Pro-nociceptive and pro-inflammatory TRPM3 (transient receptor potential melastatin 3) channels, expressed in somatosensory neurons, are inhibited by activation of Gαi-coupled receptors, such as µ-opioid receptors, in vitro and in vivo.
Electrophysiological experiments, Ca2+ imaging, and behavioral studies in mice identify the TRPM3 ion channel as a novel target of G-protein βγ subunits.
Dipak N Patil, Erumbi S Rangarajan ... Kirill A Martemyanov
Atomic details on structural organization and conformational dynamics of the key regulator of neuronal signaling shed light on its allosteric regulation and role in regulating cellular pathways.
The cryo-EM structure of ETB-Gi complex, obtained using the Fusion-G system, provides insights into the distinct activation mechanism and G-protein promiscuity of ETB, aiding in the design of ETB agonists for therapeutic applications.