Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
1979880 | Current Opinion in Structural Biology | 2008 | 7 Pages |
Abstract
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest family of eukaryotic plasma membrane receptors, and are responsible for the majority of cellular responses to external signals. GPCRs share a common architecture comprising seven transmembrane (TM) helices. Binding of an activating ligand enables the receptor to catalyze the exchange of GTP for GDP in a heterotrimeric G protein. GPCRs are in a conformational equilibrium between inactive and activating states. Crystallographic and spectroscopic studies of the visual pigment rhodopsin and two β-adrenergic receptors have defined some of the conformational changes associated with activation.
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Authors
William I Weis, Brian K Kobilka,