A nondesensitizing kainate receptor point mutant.

ABSTRACT: Ionotropic glutamate receptor (iGluR) desensitization can be modulated by mutations that change the stability of a dimer formed by the agonist binding domain. Desensitization of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors can be blocked by a single point mutation (e.g., GluR2 L483Y) that stabilizes this dimer in an active conformation. In contrast, desensitization of kainate receptors can be slowed, but not blocked, by similar dimer interface mutations. Only covalent cross-linking via introduced disulfides has been previously shown to block kainate receptor desensitization completely. We have now identified an apparently nondesensitizing GluR6 point mutant (D776K) located at the apex of the ligand binding (S1S2) domain dimer interface. Asp776 is one of a cluster of f

SUBMITTER: Nayeem N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2730386 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature