Structural Studies of G Protein-Coupled Receptors

Dandan Zhang; Qiang Zhao; Beili Wu

doi:10.14348/molcells.2015.0263

Structural Studies of G Protein-Coupled Receptors

Mol Cells. 2015 Oct;38(10):836-42. doi: 10.14348/molcells.2015.0263. Epub 2015 Oct 15.

Authors

Dandan Zhang¹, Qiang Zhao¹, Beili Wu¹

Affiliation

¹ CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Mate-ria Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Pudong, Shanghai 201203, China.

Abstract

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute the largest and the most physiologically important membrane protein family that recognizes a variety of environmental stimuli, and are drug targets in the treatment of numerous diseases. Recent progress on GPCR structural studies shed light on molecular mechanisms of GPCR ligand recognition, activation and allosteric modulation, as well as structural basis of GPCR dimerization. In this review, we will discuss the structural features of GPCRs and structural insights of different aspects of GPCR biological functions.

Keywords: GPCR; activation; allosteric modulation; ligand recognition; structure.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Allosteric Regulation
Amino Acid Motifs
Humans
Ligands
Protein Multimerization
Protein Structure, Tertiary
Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / chemistry*
Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / classification
Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / physiology*

Substances

Ligands
Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled