Varenicline Interactions at the 5-HT3 Receptor Ligand Binding Site are Revealed by 5-HTBP.

Cys-loop receptors are the site of action of many therapeutic drugs. One of these is the smoking cessation agent varenicline, which has its major therapeutic effects at nicotinic acetylcholine (nACh) receptors but also acts at 5-HT3 receptors. Here, we report the X-ray crystal structure of the 5-HT binding protein (5-HTBP) in complex with varenicline, and test the predicted interactions by probing the potency of varenicline in a range of mutant 5-HT3 receptors expressed in HEK293 cells and Xenopus oocytes. The structure reveals a range of interactions between varenicline and 5-HTBP. We identified residues within 5 Å of varenicline and substituted the equivalent residues in the 5-HT3 receptor with Ala or a residue with similar chemical properties. Functional characterization of these mutant 5-HT3 receptors, using a fluorescent membrane potential dye in HEK cells and voltage clamp in oocytes, supports interactions between varenicline and the receptor that are similar to those in 5-HTBP. The structure also revealed C-loop closure that was less than in the 5-HT-bound 5-HTBP, and hydrogen bonding between varenicline and the complementary face of the binding pocket via a water molecule, which are characteristics consistent with partial agonist behavior of varenicline in the 5-HT3 receptor. Together, these data reveal detailed insights into the molecular interaction of varenicline in the 5-HT3 receptor.Supported by grants from the Wellcome Trust (81925) and the MRC to S.C.R.L.This is the final published version. It first appeared at http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/cn500369

An atypical residue in the pore of Varroa destructor GABA-activated RDL receptors affects picrotoxin block and thymol modulation.

GABA-activated RDL receptors are the insect equivalent of mammalian GABAA receptors, and play a vital role in neurotransmission and insecticide action. Here we clone the pore lining M2 region of the Varroa mite RDL receptor and show that it has 4 atypical residues when compared to M2 regions of most other insects, including bees, which are the major host of Varroa mites. We create mutant Drosophila RDL receptors containing these substitutions and characterise their effects on function. Using two electrode voltage clamp electrophysiology we show that one substitution (T6'M) ablates picrotoxin inhibition and increases the potency of GABA. This mutation also alters the effect of thymol, which enhances both insect and mammalian GABA responses, and is widely used as a miticide. Thymol decreases the GABA EC50 of WT receptors, enhancing responses, but in T6'M-containing receptors it is inhibitory. The other 3 atypical residues have no major effects on either the GABA EC50, the picrotoxin potency or the effect of thymol. In conclusion we show that the RDL 6' residue is important for channel block, activation and modulation, and understanding its function also has the potential to prove useful in the design of Varroa-specific insecticidal agents.This project was supported by the Wellcome Trust (grant 81925 to SCRL). SCRL is a Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellow in Basic Biomedical Studies.This is the final published version, which first appeared at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965174814001684

Tyrosine Residues That Control Binding and Gating in the 5-Hydroxytryptamine₃ Receptor Revealed by Unnatural Amino Acid Mutagenesis

The mechanism by which agonist binding triggers pore opening in ligand-gated ion channels is poorly understood. Here, we used unnatural amino acid mutagenesis to introduce subtle changes to the side chains of tyrosine residues (Tyr141, Tyr143, Tyr153, and Tyr234), which dominate the 5-HT₃ receptor binding site. Heterologous expression in oocytes, combined with radioligand binding data and a model of 5-HT (serotonin) computationally docked into the binding site, has allowed us to determine which of these residues are responsible for binding and/or gating. We have shown that Tyr 143 forms a hydrogen bond that is essential for receptor gating but does not affect binding, whereas a hydrogen bond formed by Tyr153 is involved in both binding and gating of the receptor. The aromatic group of Tyr234 is essential for binding and gating, whereas its hydroxyl does not affect binding but plays a steric role in receptor gating. Tyr141 is not involved in agonist binding or receptor gating but is important for antagonist interactions. These data, combined with a new model of the nonliganded 5-HT₃ receptor, lead to a mechanistic explanation of the interactions that initiate the conformational change leading to channel opening. Thus, we suggest that agonist entry into the binding pocket may displace Tyr143 and Tyr153 and results in their forming new hydrogen bonds. These bonds may form part of the network of bond rearrangements that trigger the conformational change leading to channel opening. Similar rearrangements may initiate gating in all Cys-loop receptors

Phenylalanine in the pore of the Erwinia ligand-gated ion channel modulates picrotoxinin potency but not receptor function.

The Erwinia ligand-gated ion channel (ELIC) is a bacterial homologue of eukaryotic Cys-loop ligand-gated ion channels. This protein has the potential to be a useful model for Cys-loop receptors but is unusual in that it has an aromatic residue (Phe) facing into the pore, leading to some predictions that this protein is incapable of ion flux. Subsequent studies have shown this is not the case, so here we probe the role of this residue by examining the function of the ELIC in cases in which the Phe has been substituted with a range of alternative amino acids, expressed in Xenopus oocytes and functionally examined. Most of the mutations have little effect on the GABA EC50, but the potency of the weak pore-blocking antagonist picrotoxinin at F16'A-, F16'D-, F16'S-, and F16'T-containing receptors was increased to levels comparable with those of Cys-loop receptors, suggesting that this antagonist can enter the pore only when residue 16' is small. T6'S has no effect on picrotoxinin potency when expressed alone but abolishes the increased potency when combined with F16'S, indicating that the inhibitor binds at position 6', as in Cys-loop receptors, if it can enter the pore. Overall, the data support the proposal that the ELIC pore is a good model for Cys-loop receptor pores if the role of F16' is taken into consideration.This project was supported by the Wellcome Trust Grant 81925 to S.C.R.L. S.C.R.L. is a Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellow in Basic Biomedical Studies. M.A. is funded by a Yousef Jameel Scholarship. D.A.W. was funded by an MRC studentship.This is the final published version. It first appeared at http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/bi5008035

5-HT3 Receptor Brain-Type B-Subunits are Differentially Expressed in Heterologous Systems.

Genes for five different 5-HT3 receptor subunits have been identified. Most of the subunits have multiple isoforms, but two isoforms of the B subunits, brain-type 1 (Br1) and brain-type 2 (Br2) are of particular interest as they appear to be abundantly expressed in human brain, where 5-HT3B subunit RNA consists of approximately 75% 5-HT3Br2, 24% 5-HT3Br1, and <1% 5-HT3B. Here we use two-electrode voltage-clamp, radioligand binding, fluorescence, whole cell, and single channel patch-clamp studies to characterize the roles of 5-HT3Br1 and 5-HT3Br2 subunits on function and pharmacology in heterologously expressed 5-HT3 receptors. The data show that the 5-HT3Br1 transcriptional variant, when coexpressed with 5-HT3A subunits, alters the EC50, nH, and single channel conductance of the 5-HT3 receptor, but has no effect on the potency of competitive antagonists; thus, 5-HT3ABr1 receptors have the same characteristics as 5-HT3AB receptors. There were some differences in the shapes of 5-HT3AB and 5-HT3ABr1 receptor responses, which were likely due to a greater proportion of homomeric 5-HT3A versus heteromeric 5-HT3ABr1 receptors in the latter, as expression of the 5-HT3Br1 compared to the 5-HT3B subunit is less efficient. Conversely, the 5-HT3Br2 subunit does not appear to form functional channels with the 5-HT3A subunit in either oocytes or HEK293 cells, and the role of this subunit is yet to be determined.Supported by grants from Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS), Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (ANPCYT), and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) to CB, and The Wellcome Trust (81925) and the MRC (MR/L021676) to SCRL.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from the American Chemical Society via http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acschemneuro.5b0008

Metatranscriptome of human faecal microbial communities in a cohort of adult men

The gut microbiome is intimately related to human health, but it is not yet known which functional activities are driven by specific microorganisms\u27 ecological configurations or transcription. We report a large-scale investigation of 372 human faecal metatranscriptomes and 929 metagenomes from a subset of 308 men in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. We identified a metatranscriptomic \u27core\u27 universally transcribed over time and across participants, often by different microorganisms. In contrast to the housekeeping functions enriched in this core, a \u27variable\u27 metatranscriptome included specialized pathways that were differentially expressed both across participants and among microorganisms. Finally, longitudinal metagenomic profiles allowed ecological interaction network reconstruction, which remained stable over the six-month timespan, as did strain tracking within and between participants. These results provide an initial characterization of human faecal microbial ecology into core, subject-specific, microorganism-specific and temporally variable transcription, and they differentiate metagenomically versus metatranscriptomically informative aspects of the human faecal microbiome

A Hydrogen Bond in Loop A Is Critical for the Binding and Function of the 5-HT3 Receptor†

The binding sites of Cys-loop receptors are formed from at least six loops (A−F). Here we have used mutagenesis, radioligand binding, voltage clamp electrophysiology, and homology modeling to probe the role of two residues in loop A of the 5-HT_3 receptor: Asn128 and Glu129. The data show that substitution of Asn128, with a range of alternative natural and unnatural amino acids, changed the EC_(50) (from ∼10-fold more potent to ∼10-fold less potent than that of the wild type), increased the maximal peak current for mCPBG compared to 5-HT (R_(max)) 2−19-fold, and decreased n_H, indicating this residue is involved in receptor gating; we propose Asn128 faces away from the binding pocket and plays a role in facilitating transitions between conformational states. Substitutions of Glu129 resulted in functional receptors only when the residue could accept a hydrogen bond, but with both these and other substitutions, no [^3H]granisetron binding could be detected, indicating a role in ligand binding. We propose that Glu129 faces into the binding pocket, where, through its ability to hydrogen bond, it plays a critical role in ligand binding. Thus, the data support a modified model of the 5-HT_3 receptor binding site and show that loop A plays a critical role in both the ligand binding and function of this receptor

GABA Binding to an Insect GABA Receptor: A Molecular Dynamics and Mutagenesis Study

RDL receptors are GABA-activated inhibitory Cys-loop receptors found throughout the insect CNS. They are a key target for insecticides. Here, we characterize the GABA binding site in RDL receptors using computational and electrophysiological techniques. A homology model of the extracellular domain of RDL was generated and GABA docked into the binding site. Molecular dynamics simulations predicted critical GABA binding interactions with aromatic residues F206, Y254, and Y109 and hydrophilic residues E204, S176, R111, R166, S176, and T251. These residues were mutated, expressed in Xenopus oocytes, and their functions assessed using electrophysiology. The data support the binding mechanism provided by the simulations, which predict that GABA forms many interactions with binding site residues, the most significant of which are cation-π interactions with F206 and Y254, H-bonds with E204, S205, R111, S176, T251, and ionic interactions with R111 and E204. These findings clarify the roles of a range of residues in binding GABA in the RDL receptor, and also show that molecular dynamics simulations are a useful tool to identify specific interactions in Cys-loop receptors