Lecture 7 & 8 Flashcards
What is the difference between AMPA and NMDA receptors?
- NMDA opens slower and has a slower current
Describe the ligand binding domain in iGluRs?
- 2 subunits
- Forms a dimer
- Linkers join LBD to ATD
- Linkers join LBD to TMD
What effect does isolating the LBD from the receptor have?
- Retains native-like agonist binding behaviour
How does glutamate interact with LBD?
Via strong ionic and H bonds through the carboxyl group
How can we stabilize the glutamate and LBD complex?
By interactions between residues in glu and LBD domains:
- D1 and glu
- D2 and glu
- D1 and D2
Describe the difference between glycine and glutamate binding in NMDA receptors
Glutamate:
- Hydroxyl group in T690 sidechain of GluN2A subunit forms an H bond that stabilises the carboxylate group
- Y730 has a smaller side chain in van der waal contact with carboxylate sidechain
Glycine:
- Methyl group of V689 in GluN1 is not able to form H bond so less stable.
- W731 sterically hinders the glutamate sidechain carboxylate group
How can we study the behaviour of protein structures?
- Using crystal or cryo-EM structures
- Embed structure in solvent environment
- Use Isaac Newtons law of motion
- Use algorithms
What is glutamate funneling and what is it for?
- Glutamate guided into binding site by clusters of charged residues in mouth of LBD.
- It is needed to increase risetime of AMPAR
(In experiment, mutated AMPAR to remove charged residues = slow risetime of AMPAR)
What is the apo state?
Structure of receptor without ligand
with ligand = clam shell like closure
How does the channel open after agonist binding?
Coupled linkers between D1 and D2 subunits of LBD change conformation = channel open/close
What is iodo willardiine?
It is a partial agonist of AMPAR that binds to GluA2. It causes less closure than glutamate.
(Different ligands causes different conformational changes of LBD)
Why does IW give less current than glutamate?
Bulkiness of ligand affects the cleft closure and activation of the receptor. IW is less bulky than glutamate.
When replacing iodine with bromine or fluorine, could see the different effects.
Bulkiness:
Glu > HW > FW > BRW > IW
What is the relationship between linker separation and ligand efficacy?
Greater separation is positively correlated with ligand efficacy.
How can we compare potencies/EC50s of different agonistic compounds?
By giving each one it’s maximum response so we can easily compare the EC50.
Describe the effects of partial agonists on KAR and GluN1 subunit of NMDAR?
Effects are similar to those of full agonists
What is a competitive antagonist?
It keeps the ligand binding domain cleft open - competes for the orthosteric site with full agonists and does not cause a conformational change. Whilst, a full agonists leads to a higher degree of closure.
What is the difference between a full agonist and a partial agonist?
Full agonist increases the freq of channel opening but does not change the conductance whilst partial agonists reduce the freq of channel opening, also doesn’t change the conductance.
What drugs reduce AMPAR desensitization and how?
Diazoxide, Benzothiadiazides and Cyclothiazide
Opens K channels, leading to hyperpolarisation which will prevent the activation of Ca channels. This lead to depressing synaptic transmission.
Describe cyclothiazide
- It is a positive allosteric modulator of AMPAR
- Reduces desensitization
- CTZ dimer bind at an allosteric site between the D1 and D2 subunits of LBD
- It increases the dimer affinity by 5000 fold (ultracentrifugation)
How can we see the relationship between LBD dimer affinity and desensitization?
- Mutation in LBD dimer = D1s separates whilst D2s don’t = channel still closed even when ligand is bound. This is desensitization.
= Found that increased dimer affinity is correlated with reduced desensitization of the intact receptor.