title: Models of the extracellular domain of the nicotinic receptors and of agonist- and Ca2+-binding sites.
abstract: We constructed a three-dimensional model of the amino-terminal extracellular domain of three major types of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, (alpha7)5, (alpha4)2(beta2)3, and (alpha1)2beta1gammadelta, on the basis of the recent x-ray structure determination of the molluscan acetylcholine-binding protein. Comparative analysis of the three models reveals that the agonist-binding pocket is much more conserved than the overall structure. Differences exist, however, in the side chains of several residues. In particular, a phenylalanine residue, present in beta2 but not in alpha7, is proposed to contribute to the high affinity for agonists in receptors containing the beta2 subunit. The semiautomatic docking of agonists in the ligand-binding pocket of (alpha7)5 led to positions consistent with labeling and mutagenesis experiments. Accordingly, the quaternary ammonium head group of nicotine makes a pi-cation interaction with W148 (alpha7 numbering), whereas the pyridine ring is close to both the cysteine pair 189-190 and the complementary component of the binding site. The intrinsic affinities inferred from docking give a rank order epibatidine > nicotine > acetylcholine, in agreement with experimental values. Finally, our models offer a structural basis for potentiation by external Ca2+.
authors.affiliation: Récepteurs et Cognition, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Unité de Recherche Associée 2182, Institut Pasteur, 75724 Paris, France. lenov@pasteur.fr
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Le Novère
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Grutter
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Changeux
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000737:chemistry; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic / Q000737:chemistry; D002038:Bungarotoxins / Q000737:chemistry; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D002645:Chickens; D018679:Cholinergic Agonists / Q000737:chemistry*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009538:Nicotine / Q000737:chemistry; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D011725:Pyridines / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014101:Torpedo; D064569:alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor
chemical_list: C428944:AChBP protein, Lymnaea; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; D002038:Bungarotoxins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018679:Cholinergic Agonists; C579165:Chrna7 protein, rat; D011725:Pyridines; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D064569:alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor; C403531:nicotinic receptor alpha4beta2; D009538:Nicotine; C082748:epibatidine; D000109:Acetylcholine; D002118:Calcium