G-protein-coupled receptor heteromers or how neurons can display differently flavoured patterns in response to the same neurotransmitter.
It is becoming accepted that G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) arrange in the neuronal membrane into homo- and hetero-oligomers and, therefore, these complexes mediate neurotransmission. New models are then needed to understand GPCR operation and predict the consequences of GPCR homo- or hetero-oligomerization. Although there is not any unifying theory addressing how hetero-oligomerization occurs, recent models have been devised to understand the thermodynamics of binding of neurotransmitters to GPCRs and the allosteric protomer-protomer interactions involved in neurotransmitter-mediated activation of GPCRs. Although a model to predict how signalling is produced via homo- or hetero-oligomerization is lacking, functional data show that receptor oligomers exist to produce a variety of effects in neurons in response to a single neurotransmitter.
Molecular Neurobiology Unit, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, Departament de Bioquímica i Biología Molecular, School of Biology, University of Barcelona, Spain. rfranco@unav.es
Rafael
R
Franco
D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology*; D055503:Protein Multimerization / Q000502:physiology*; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology
D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled