A touching picture of nicotinic binding.
The snail acetylcholine binding protein (AChBP) is homologous to the extracellular domains of the nicotinic ACh receptors. In this issue of Neuron, Celie et al. show how the crystal structures of AChBP in complexes with carbamylcholine and nicotine reveal the basis for agonist recognition by ACh receptors.
Karlin
Arthur
A
Center for Molecular Recognition, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D009538:Nicotine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary / Q000502:physiology; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000378:metabolism*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology
C428944:AChBP protein, Lymnaea; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008024:Ligands; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D009538:Nicotine; D000109:Acetylcholine