2LLY

NMR structures of the transmembrane domains of the nAChR a4 subunit

• PDB DOI:  https://doi.org/10.2210/pdb2LLY/pdb
• BMRB: 18093

• Classification: TRANSPORT PROTEIN
• Organism(s): Homo sapiens
• Expression System: Escherichia coli
• Mutation(s): Yes 
• Membrane Protein: Yes  OPMPDBTMMemProtMD


• Deposited: 2011-11-18 Released: 2012-03-28 
• Deposition Author(s): Bondarenko, V., Mowrey, D., Tillman, T., Cui, T., Liu, L.T., Xu, Y., Tang, P.

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Experimental Data Snapshot

• Method: SOLUTION NMR
• Conformers Calculated: 100 
• Conformers Submitted: 20 
• Selection Criteria: structures with the lowest energy 

Literature

NMR structures of the transmembrane domains of the a4b2 nAChR.

Bondarenko, V., Mowrey, D., Tillman, T., Cui, T., Liu, L.T., Xu, Y., Tang, P.

(2012) Biochim Biophys Acta 1818: 1261-1268

• PubMed: 22361591 
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbamem.2012.02.008
• Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
  2LLY, 2LM2


• PubMed Abstract: 
  

The α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) is the predominant heteromeric subtype of nAChRs in the brain, which has been implicated in numerous neurological conditions. The structural information specifically for the α4β2 and other neuronal nAChRs is presently limited. In this study, we determined structures of the transmembrane (TM) domains of the α4 and β2 subunits in lauryldimethylamine-oxide (LDAO) micelles using solution NMR spectroscopy. NMR experiments and size exclusion chromatography-multi-angle light scattering (SEC-MALS) analysis demonstrated that the TM domains of α4 and β2 interacted with each other and spontaneously formed pentameric assemblies in the LDAO micelles. The Na(+) flux assay revealed that α4β2 formed Na(+) permeable channels in lipid vesicles. Efflux of Na(+) through the α4β2 channels reduced intra-vesicle Sodium Green™ fluorescence in a time-dependent manner that was not observed in vesicles without incorporating α4β2. The study provides structural insight into the TM domains of the α4β2 nAChR. It offers a valuable structural framework for rationalizing extensive biochemical data collected previously on the α4β2 nAChR and for designing new therapeutic modulators.

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Organizational Affiliation: 

Department of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, PA 15260, USA.

Biological Assembly 1  

Global Symmetry: Asymmetric - C1 
Global Stoichiometry: Monomer - A1 

Biological assembly 1 assigned by authors.

Macromolecule Content

• Total Structure Weight: 15.02 kDa 
• Atom Count: 1,037 
• Modelled Residue Count: 134 
• Deposited Residue Count: 137 
• Unique protein chains: 1

Macromolecules

Entity ID: 1
Molecule	Chains	Sequence Length	Organism	Details	Image
Neuronal acetylcholine receptor subunit alpha-4	A	137	Homo sapiens	Mutation(s): 7  Gene Names: CHRNA4, NACRA4 Membrane Entity: Yes
UniProt & NIH Common Fund Data Resources
Find proteins for P43681 (Homo sapiens) Explore P43681  Go to UniProtKB:  P43681
PHAROS:  P43681

Experimental Data & Validation

Experimental Data

• Method: SOLUTION NMR
• Conformers Calculated: 100 
• Conformers Submitted: 20 
• Selection Criteria: structures with the lowest energy 

Structure Validation

Entry History 

Deposition Data

• Released Date: 2012-03-28 
Deposition Author(s): Bondarenko, V., Mowrey, D., Tillman, T., Cui, T., Liu, L.T., Xu, Y., Tang, P.

Revision History  

• Version 1.0: 2012-03-28
  Type: Initial release
  
• Version 1.1: 2023-06-14
  Changes: Data collection, Database references, Other