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Stargazin enhances closure of the AMPA receptor ligand-binding domain, thereby facilitating channel activation.

Background:The agonist glycine binds to a cleft in the bilobed extracellular domain of NMDA receptors. Results: The full agonist-bound forms of the agonist-binding domain populate more of the higher efficiency closed-cleft states of the receptor. Conclusion: Cleft closure dynamics differ for the full and partial agonist-bound forms. Significance: Dynamics and the extent of cleft closure control agonist efficacy.

Background: Protons activate acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs). Results: Proton binding leads to a movement involving the thumb and finger subdomains. Mutation of carboxylates lining the finger leads to loss of activation and loss of this movement. Conclusion:The carboxylates lining the finger domain are essential for the movement of the thumb and finger domains and in activation. Significance: This study provides insight into proton-induced conformational changes in ASICs.

The N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) is a member of the glutamate receptor family of proteins and is responsible for excitatory transmission. Activation of the receptor is thought to be controlled by conformational changes in the ligand binding domain (LBD); however, glutamate receptor LBDs can occupy multiple conformations even in the activated form. This work probes equilibrium transitions among NMDAR LBD conformations by monitoring the distance across the glycine-bound LBD cleft using single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET). Recent improvements in photoprotection solutions allowed us to monitor transitions among the multiple conformations. Also, we applied a recently developed model-free algorithm called "step transition and state identification" to identify the number of states, their smFRET efficiencies, and their interstate kinetics. Reversible interstate conversions, corresponding to transitions among a wide range of cleft widths, were identified in the glycine-bound LBD, on much longer timescales compared to channel opening. These transitions were confirmed to be equilibrium in nature by shifting the distribution reversibly via denaturant. We found that the NMDAR LBD proceeds primarily from one adjacent smFRET state to the next under equilibrium conditions, consistent with a cleft-opening/closing mechanism. Overall, by analyzing the state-to-state transition dynamics and distributions, we achieve insight into specifics of long-lived LBD equilibrium structural dynamics, as well as obtain a more general description of equilibrium folding/unfolding in a conformationally dynamic protein. The relationship between such long-lived LBD dynamics and channel function in the full receptor remains an open and interesting question.

Luminescence Resonance Energy Transfer, or LRET, is a powerful technique used to measure distances between two sites in proteins within the distance range of 10-100 Å. By measuring the distances under various ligated conditions, conformational changes of the protein can be easily assessed. With LRET, a lanthanide, most often chelated terbium, is used as the donor fluorophore, affording advantages such as a longer donoronly emission lifetime, the flexibility to use multiple acceptor fluorophores, and the opportunity to detect sensitized acceptor emission as an easy way to measure energy transfer without the risk of also detecting donor-only signal. Here, we describe a method to use LRET on membrane proteins expressed and assayed on the surface of intact mammalian cells. We introduce a protease cleavage site between the LRET fluorophore pair. After obtaining the original LRET signal, cleavage at that site removes the specific LRET signal from the protein of interest allowing us to quantitatively subtract the background signal that remains after cleavage. This method allows for more physiologically relevant measurements to be made without the need for purification of protein. Video LinkThe video component of this article can be found at

Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) oxidation controls excitability and viability. While hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) affects Ca2+-activated CaMKII in vitro, Angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced CaMKIIδ signaling in cardiomyocytes is Ca2+ independent and requires NADPH oxidase-derived superoxide, but not its dismutation product H2O2. To better define the biological regulation of CaMKII activation and signaling by Ang II, we evaluated the potential for peroxynitrite (ONOO−) to mediate CaMKII activation and downstream Kv4.3 channel mRNA destabilization by Ang II. In vitro experiments show that ONOO− oxidizes and modestly activates pure CaMKII in the absence of Ca2+/CaM. Remarkably, this apokinase stimulation persists after mutating known oxidation targets (M281, M282, C290), suggesting a novel mechanism for increasing baseline Ca2+-independent CaMKII activity. The role of ONOO− in cardiac and neuronal responses to Ang II was then tested by scavenging ONOO− and preventing its formation by inhibiting nitric oxide synthase. Both treatments blocked Ang II effects on Kv4.3, tyrosine nitration and CaMKIIδ oxidation and activation. Together, these data show that ONOO− participates in Ang II-CaMKII signaling. The requirement for ONOO− in transducing Ang II signaling identifies ONOO−, which has been viewed as a reactive damaging byproduct of superoxide and nitric oxide, as a mediator of GPCR-CaMKII signaling.

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