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Cell Dec 2023Extracellular perception of auxin, an essential phytohormone in plants, has been debated for decades. Auxin-binding protein 1 (ABP1) physically interacts with...
Extracellular perception of auxin, an essential phytohormone in plants, has been debated for decades. Auxin-binding protein 1 (ABP1) physically interacts with quintessential transmembrane kinases (TMKs) and was proposed to act as an extracellular auxin receptor, but its role was disputed because abp1 knockout mutants lack obvious morphological phenotypes. Here, we identified two new auxin-binding proteins, ABL1 and ABL2, that are localized to the apoplast and directly interact with the extracellular domain of TMKs in an auxin-dependent manner. Furthermore, functionally redundant ABL1 and ABL2 genetically interact with TMKs and exhibit functions that overlap with those of ABP1 as well as being independent of ABP1. Importantly, the extracellular domain of TMK1 itself binds auxin and synergizes with either ABP1 or ABL1 in auxin binding. Thus, our findings discovered auxin receptors ABL1 and ABL2 having functions overlapping with but distinct from ABP1 and acting together with TMKs as co-receptors for extracellular auxin.
Topics: Indoleacetic Acids; Plant Growth Regulators; Arabidopsis; Arabidopsis Proteins
PubMed: 37979582
DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.10.017 -
Physiological Reviews Oct 2023Ca/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) and long-term potentiation (LTP) were discovered within a decade of each other and have been inextricably intertwined... (Review)
Review
Ca/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) and long-term potentiation (LTP) were discovered within a decade of each other and have been inextricably intertwined ever since. However, like many marriages, it has had its up and downs. Based on the unique biochemical properties of CaMKII, it was proposed as a memory molecule before any physiological linkage was made to LTP. However, as reviewed here, the convincing linkage of CaMKII to synaptic physiology and behavior took many decades. New technologies were critical in this journey, including in vitro brain slices, mouse genetics, single-cell molecular genetics, pharmacological reagents, protein structure, and two-photon microscopy, as were new investigators attracted by the exciting challenge. This review tracks this journey and assesses the state of this marriage 40 years on. The collective literature impels us to propose a relatively simple model for synaptic memory involving the following steps that drive the process: ) Ca entry through -methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors activates CaMKII. ) CaMKII undergoes autophosphorylation resulting in constitutive, Ca-independent activity and exposure of a binding site for the NMDA receptor subunit GluN2B. ) Active CaMKII translocates to the postsynaptic density (PSD) and binds to the cytoplasmic C-tail of GluN2B. ) The CaMKII-GluN2B complex initiates a structural rearrangement of the PSD that may involve liquid-liquid phase separation. ) This rearrangement involves the PSD-95 scaffolding protein, α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors (AMPARs), and their transmembrane AMPAR-regulatory protein (TARP) auxiliary subunits, resulting in an accumulation of AMPARs in the PSD that underlies synaptic potentiation. ) The stability of the modified PSD is maintained by the stability of the CaMKII-GluN2B complex. ) By a process of subunit exchange or interholoenzyme phosphorylation CaMKII maintains synaptic potentiation in the face of CaMKII protein turnover. There are many other important proteins that participate in enlargement of the synaptic spine or modulation of the steps that drive and maintain the potentiation. In this review we critically discuss the data underlying each of the steps. As will become clear, some of these steps are more firmly grounded than others, and we provide suggestions as to how the evidence supporting these steps can be strengthened or, based on the new data, be replaced. Although the journey has been a long one, the prospect of having a detailed cellular and molecular understanding of learning and memory is at hand.
Topics: Mice; Animals; Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2; Memory; Long-Term Potentiation; Learning; Hippocampus
PubMed: 37290118
DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00034.2022 -
Nature Dec 2023Four endemic seasonal human coronaviruses causing common colds circulate worldwide: HKU1, 229E, NL63 and OC43 (ref. ). After binding to cellular receptors, coronavirus...
Four endemic seasonal human coronaviruses causing common colds circulate worldwide: HKU1, 229E, NL63 and OC43 (ref. ). After binding to cellular receptors, coronavirus spike proteins are primed for fusion by transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) or endosomal cathepsins. NL63 uses angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 as a receptor, whereas 229E uses human aminopeptidase-N. HKU1 and OC43 spikes bind cells through 9-O-acetylated sialic acid, but their protein receptors remain unknown. Here we show that TMPRSS2 is a functional receptor for HKU1. TMPRSS2 triggers HKU1 spike-mediated cell-cell fusion and pseudovirus infection. Catalytically inactive TMPRSS2 mutants do not cleave HKU1 spike but allow pseudovirus infection. Furthermore, TMPRSS2 binds with high affinity to the HKU1 receptor binding domain (Kd 334 and 137 nM for HKU1A and HKU1B genotypes) but not to SARS-CoV-2. Conserved amino acids in the HKU1 receptor binding domain are essential for binding to TMPRSS2 and pseudovirus infection. Newly designed anti-TMPRSS2 nanobodies potently inhibit HKU1 spike attachment to TMPRSS2, fusion and pseudovirus infection. The nanobodies also reduce infection of primary human bronchial cells by an authentic HKU1 virus. Our findings illustrate the various evolution strategies of coronaviruses, which use TMPRSS2 to either directly bind to target cells or prime their spike for membrane fusion and entry.
Topics: Humans; Betacoronavirus; Bronchi; Common Cold; Membrane Fusion; Receptors, Virus; SARS-CoV-2; Serine Endopeptidases; Single-Domain Antibodies; Species Specificity; Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; Virus Internalization
PubMed: 37879362
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06761-7 -
Science (New York, N.Y.) Dec 2023Fast synaptic neurotransmission in the vertebrate central nervous system relies primarily on ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs), which drive neuronal excitation,...
Fast synaptic neurotransmission in the vertebrate central nervous system relies primarily on ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs), which drive neuronal excitation, and type A γ-aminobutyric acid receptors (GABARs), which are responsible for neuronal inhibition. However, the GluD1 receptor, an iGluR family member, is present at both excitatory and inhibitory synapses. Whether and how GluD1 activation may affect inhibitory neurotransmission is unknown. In this work, by using a combination of biochemical, structural, and functional analyses, we demonstrate that GluD1 binds GABA, a previously unknown feature of iGluRs. GluD1 activation produces long-lasting enhancement of GABAergic synaptic currents in the adult mouse hippocampus through a non-ionotropic mechanism that is dependent on trans-synaptic anchoring. The identification of GluD1 as a GABA receptor that controls inhibitory synaptic plasticity challenges the classical dichotomy between glutamatergic and GABAergic receptors.
Topics: Animals; Mice; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; Glutamate Dehydrogenase; Hippocampus; Neuronal Plasticity; Receptors, GABA; Synapses; Synaptic Transmission; Neural Inhibition; Mice, Knockout; Racemases and Epimerases
PubMed: 38060673
DOI: 10.1126/science.adf3406 -
Nature Aug 2023Arrestins have pivotal roles in regulating G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signalling by desensitizing G protein activation and mediating receptor internalization. It...
Arrestins have pivotal roles in regulating G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signalling by desensitizing G protein activation and mediating receptor internalization. It has been proposed that the arrestin binds to the receptor in two different conformations, 'tail' and 'core', which were suggested to govern distinct processes of receptor signalling and trafficking. However, little structural information is available for the tail engagement of the arrestins. Here we report two structures of the glucagon receptor (GCGR) bound to β-arrestin 1 (βarr1) in glucagon-bound and ligand-free states. These structures reveal a receptor tail-engaged binding mode of βarr1 with many unique features, to our knowledge, not previously observed. Helix VIII, instead of the receptor core, has a major role in accommodating βarr1 by forming extensive interactions with the central crest of βarr1. The tail-binding pose is further defined by a close proximity between the βarr1 C-edge and the receptor helical bundle, and stabilized by a phosphoinositide derivative that bridges βarr1 with helices I and VIII of GCGR. Lacking any contact with the arrestin, the receptor core is in an inactive state and loosely binds to glucagon. Further functional studies suggest that the tail conformation of GCGR-βarr governs βarr recruitment at the plasma membrane and endocytosis of GCGR, and provides a molecular basis for the receptor forming a super-complex simultaneously with G protein and βarr to promote sustained signalling within endosomes. These findings extend our knowledge about the arrestin-mediated modulation of GPCR functionalities.
Topics: beta-Arrestin 1; Cell Membrane; Endocytosis; Endosomes; Glucagon; Heterotrimeric GTP-Binding Proteins; Ligands; Phosphatidylinositols; Receptors, Glucagon; Protein Binding
PubMed: 37558880
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06420-x -
Nature Aug 2023Phosphorylation of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) by GPCR kinases (GRKs) desensitizes G-protein signalling and promotes arrestin signalling, which is also modulated...
Phosphorylation of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) by GPCR kinases (GRKs) desensitizes G-protein signalling and promotes arrestin signalling, which is also modulated by biased ligands. The molecular assembly of GRKs on GPCRs and the basis of GRK-mediated biased signalling remain largely unknown owing to the weak GPCR-GRK interactions. Here we report the complex structure of neurotensin receptor 1 (NTSR1) bound to GRK2, Gα and the arrestin-biased ligand SBI-553. The density map reveals the arrangement of the intact GRK2 with the receptor, with the N-terminal helix of GRK2 docking into the open cytoplasmic pocket formed by the outward movement of the receptor transmembrane helix 6, analogous to the binding of the G protein to the receptor. SBI-553 binds at the interface between GRK2 and NTSR1 to enhance GRK2 binding. The binding mode of SBI-553 is compatible with arrestin binding but clashes with the binding of Gα protein, thus providing a mechanism for its arrestin-biased signalling capability. In sum, our structure provides a rational model for understanding the details of GPCR-GRK interactions and GRK2-mediated biased signalling.
Topics: Arrestins; G-Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 2; GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gq-G11; Ligands; Phosphorylation; Protein Binding; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; Receptors, Neurotensin; Signal Transduction; Piperidines; Quinazolines
PubMed: 37532940
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06395-9 -
Nature Sep 2023Class B G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), including glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP1R) and parathyroid hormone 1 receptor (PTH1R), are important drug targets....
Class B G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), including glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP1R) and parathyroid hormone 1 receptor (PTH1R), are important drug targets. Injectable peptide drugs targeting these receptors have been developed, but orally available small-molecule drugs remain under development. Here we report the high-resolution structure of human PTH1R in complex with the stimulatory G protein (G) and a small-molecule agonist, PCO371, which reveals an unexpected binding mode of PCO371 at the cytoplasmic interface of PTH1R with G. The PCO371-binding site is totally different from all binding sites previously reported for small molecules or peptide ligands in GPCRs. The residues that make up the PCO371-binding pocket are conserved in class B GPCRs, and a single alteration in PTH2R and two residue alterations in GLP1R convert these receptors to respond to PCO371. Functional assays reveal that PCO371 is a G-protein-biased agonist that is defective in promoting PTH1R-mediated arrestin signalling. Together, these results uncover a distinct binding site for designing small-molecule agonists for PTH1R and possibly other members of the class B GPCRs and define a receptor conformation that is specific only for G-protein activation but not arrestin signalling. These insights should facilitate the design of distinct types of class B GPCR small-molecule agonist for various therapeutic indications.
Topics: Humans; Arrestin; Binding Sites; GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gs; Imidazolidines; Ligands; Peptides; Protein Conformation; Receptor, Parathyroid Hormone, Type 1; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; Signal Transduction; Spiro Compounds; Drug Design
PubMed: 37524305
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06467-w -
Cell Nov 2023Wnt proteins are enzymatically lipidated by Porcupine (PORCN) in the ER and bind to Wntless (WLS) for intracellular transport and secretion. Mechanisms governing the...
Wnt proteins are enzymatically lipidated by Porcupine (PORCN) in the ER and bind to Wntless (WLS) for intracellular transport and secretion. Mechanisms governing the transfer of these low-solubility Wnts from the ER to the extracellular space remain unclear. Through structural and functional analyses of Wnt7a, a crucial Wnt involved in central nervous system angiogenesis and blood-brain barrier maintenance, we have elucidated the principles of Wnt biogenesis and Wnt7-specific signaling. The Wnt7a-WLS complex binds to calreticulin (CALR), revealing that CALR functions as a chaperone to facilitate Wnt transfer from PORCN to WLS during Wnt biogenesis. Our structures, functional analyses, and molecular dynamics simulations demonstrate that a phospholipid in the core of Wnt-bound WLS regulates the association and dissociation between Wnt and WLS, suggesting a lipid-mediated Wnt secretion mechanism. Finally, the structure of Wnt7a bound to RECK, a cell-surface Wnt7 co-receptor, reveals how RECK engages the N-terminal domain of Wnt7a to activate Wnt7-specific signaling.
Topics: Blood-Brain Barrier; Protein Binding; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; Wnt Signaling Pathway; Humans; Wnt Proteins
PubMed: 37852257
DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.09.021 -
Nature Communications Oct 2023Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) is a transmembrane protein that is predominantly expressed by microglia in the brain. The proteolytic shedding...
Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) is a transmembrane protein that is predominantly expressed by microglia in the brain. The proteolytic shedding of TREM2 results in the release of soluble TREM2 (sTREM2), which is increased in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). It remains unknown whether sTREM2 regulates the pathogenesis of AD. Here we identified transgelin-2 (TG2) expressed on neurons as the receptor for sTREM2. The microglia-derived sTREM2 binds to TG2, induces RhoA phosphorylation at S188, and deactivates the RhoA-ROCK-GSK3β pathway, ameliorating tau phosphorylation. The sTREM2 (77-89) fragment, which is the minimal active sequence of sTREM2 to activate TG2, mimics the inhibitory effect of sTREM2 on tau phosphorylation. Overexpression of sTREM2 or administration of the active peptide rescues tau pathology and behavioral defects in the tau P301S transgenic mice. Together, these findings demonstrate that the sTREM2-TG2 interaction mediates the cross-talk between microglia and neurons. sTREM2 and its active peptide may be a potential therapeutic intervention for tauopathies including AD.
Topics: Mice; Animals; Humans; Alzheimer Disease; Phosphorylation; Mice, Transgenic; Peptides; Cognition; tau Proteins; Biomarkers; Amyloid beta-Peptides; Membrane Glycoproteins; Receptors, Immunologic
PubMed: 37865646
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42505-x -
Nature Dec 2023Trace-amine-associated receptors (TAARs), a group of biogenic amine receptors, have essential roles in neurological and metabolic homeostasis. They recognize diverse... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
Trace-amine-associated receptors (TAARs), a group of biogenic amine receptors, have essential roles in neurological and metabolic homeostasis. They recognize diverse endogenous trace amines and subsequently activate a range of G-protein-subtype signalling pathways. Notably, TAAR1 has emerged as a promising therapeutic target for treating psychiatric disorders. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying its ability to recognize different ligands remain largely unclear. Here we present nine cryo-electron microscopy structures, with eight showing human and mouse TAAR1 in a complex with an array of ligands, including the endogenous 3-iodothyronamine, two antipsychotic agents, the psychoactive drug amphetamine and two identified catecholamine agonists, and one showing 5-HTR in a complex with an antipsychotic agent. These structures reveal a rigid consensus binding motif in TAAR1 that binds to endogenous trace amine stimuli and two extended binding pockets that accommodate diverse chemotypes. Combined with mutational analysis, functional assays and molecular dynamic simulations, we elucidate the structural basis of drug polypharmacology and identify the species-specific differences between human and mouse TAAR1. Our study provides insights into the mechanism of ligand recognition and G-protein selectivity by TAAR1, which may help in the discovery of ligands or therapeutic strategies for neurological and metabolic disorders.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Mice; Amines; Amphetamine; Antipsychotic Agents; Binding Sites; Catecholamines; Cryoelectron Microscopy; GTP-Binding Proteins; Ligands; Molecular Dynamics Simulation; Mutation; Polypharmacology; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; Species Specificity; Substrate Specificity
PubMed: 37935376
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06804-z