Structural highlights
Function
[GRIA4_RAT] Receptor for glutamate that functions as ligand-gated ion channel in the central nervous system and plays an important role in excitatory synaptic transmission. L-glutamate acts as an excitatory neurotransmitter at many synapses in the central nervous system. Binding of the excitatory neurotransmitter L-glutamate induces a conformation change, leading to the opening of the cation channel, and thereby converts the chemical signal to an electrical impulse. The receptor then desensitizes rapidly and enters a transient inactive state, characterized by the presence of bound agonist. In the presence of CACNG4 or CACNG7 or CACNG8, shows resensitization which is characterized by a delayed accumulation of current flux upon continued application of glutamate (By similarity).[1] [2] [3]
Evolutionary Conservation
Check, as determined by ConSurfDB. You may read the explanation of the method and the full data available from ConSurf.
Publication Abstract from PubMed
AMPA receptors are glutamate-gated ion channels that are essential mediators of synaptic signals in the central nervous system. They form tetramers that are assembled as combinations of subunits GluR1-4, each of which contains a ligand-binding domain (LBD). Crystal structures of the GluR2 LBD have revealed an agonist-binding cleft, which is located between two lobes and which acts like a Venus flytrap. In general, agonist efficacy is correlated with the extent of cleft closure. However, recent observations show that cleft closure is not the sole determinant of the relative efficacy for glutamate receptors. In addition, these studies have focused on the GluR2 subunit, which is the specific target of a physiologically important RNA-editing modification in vivo. We therefore sought to test the generality of the cleft closure-efficacy correlation for other AMPA-R subunits. Here, we present crystal structures of the GluR4(flip) LBD in complex with both full and partial agonists. As for GluR2, both agonists stabilize a closed-cleft conformation, and the partial agonist induces a smaller cleft closure than the full agonist. However, a detailed analysis of LBD-kainate interactions reveals the importance of subtle backbone conformational changes in the ligand-binding pocket in determining the magnitude of agonist-associated conformational changes. Furthermore, the GluR4 subunit exhibits a different correlation between receptor activation and LBD cleft closure than does GluR2.
Correlating AMPA receptor activation and cleft closure across subunits: crystal structures of the GluR4 ligand-binding domain in complex with full and partial agonists.,Gill A, Birdsey-Benson A, Jones BL, Henderson LP, Madden DR Biochemistry. 2008 Dec 30;47(52):13831-41. PMID:19102704[4]
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
References
- ↑ Pasternack A, Coleman SK, Fethiere J, Madden DR, LeCaer JP, Rossier J, Pasternack M, Keinanen K. Characterization of the functional role of the N-glycans in the AMPA receptor ligand-binding domain. J Neurochem. 2003 Mar;84(5):1184-92. PMID:12603841
- ↑ Gill A, Birdsey-Benson A, Jones BL, Henderson LP, Madden DR. Correlating AMPA receptor activation and cleft closure across subunits: crystal structures of the GluR4 ligand-binding domain in complex with full and partial agonists. Biochemistry. 2008 Dec 30;47(52):13831-41. PMID:19102704 doi:10.1021/bi8013196
- ↑ Birdsey-Benson A, Gill A, Henderson LP, Madden DR. Enhanced efficacy without further cleft closure: reevaluating twist as a source of agonist efficacy in AMPA receptors. J Neurosci. 2010 Jan 27;30(4):1463-70. PMID:20107073 doi:30/4/1463
- ↑ Gill A, Birdsey-Benson A, Jones BL, Henderson LP, Madden DR. Correlating AMPA receptor activation and cleft closure across subunits: crystal structures of the GluR4 ligand-binding domain in complex with full and partial agonists. Biochemistry. 2008 Dec 30;47(52):13831-41. PMID:19102704 doi:10.1021/bi8013196
