Cooperative Dynamics of Intact AMPA and NMDA Glutamate Receptors: Similarities and Subfamily-Specific Differences.

ABSTRACT: Ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) are tetrameric ion channels that mediate excitatory neurotransmission. Recent structures of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionate (AMPA) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors permit a comparative analysis of whole-receptor dynamics for the first time. Despite substantial differences in the packing of their two-domain extracellular region, the two iGluRs share similar dynamics, elucidated by elastic network models. Motions accessible to either structure enable conformational interconversion, such as compression of the AMPA receptor toward the more tightly packed NMDA receptor conformation, which has been linked to allosteric regulation. Pivoting motions coupled to concerted rotations of the transmembrane ion channel are prominent betwe

SUBMITTER: Dutta A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4558295 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature