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Lecture

G Protein-Coupled Receptors: Structure and Signalling

In course

CH-411: Cellular signalling

Presentation of selected signalling pathways with emphasis on both the mechanism of action of the molecules involved, molecular interactions and the role of their spatio-temporal organization within the cell, considering cellular dimensions and conditions. ...

Description

This lecture covers the fundamentals of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), focusing on their structure, signalling pathways, and diverse functions. It starts with an introduction to GPCRs and their classical signalling scheme, followed by a historical overview of key discoveries in GPCR research. The lecture then delves into the structural biology of GPCRs, including recent advancements in GPCR structures and small molecule binders. It also discusses the role of GPCRs as drug targets, highlighting their significance in the pharmaceutical industry. The lecture concludes with a detailed exploration of GPCR signalling mechanisms, such as ligand-induced GDP-GTP exchange and GTP hydrolysis, as well as the regulation of G-protein signalling by RGS proteins.

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Instructor

Rudolf Hovius

Official source

Ontological neighbourhood

Biology

Cell biology: Cell signaling

Related concepts (29)

G protein-coupled receptor

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), also known as seven-(pass)-transmembrane domain receptors, 7TM receptors, heptahelical receptors, serpentine receptors, and G protein-linked receptors (GPLR), form a large group of evolutionarily related proteins that are cell surface receptors that detect molecules outside the cell and activate cellular responses. They are coupled with G proteins.

G protein

G proteins, also known as guanine nucleotide-binding proteins, are a family of proteins that act as molecular switches inside cells, and are involved in transmitting signals from a variety of stimuli outside a cell to its interior. Their activity is regulated by factors that control their ability to bind to and hydrolyze guanosine triphosphate (GTP) to guanosine diphosphate (GDP). When they are bound to GTP, they are 'on', and, when they are bound to GDP, they are 'off'. G proteins belong to the larger group of enzymes called GTPases.

Cell signaling

In biology, cell signaling (cell signalling in British English) or cell communication is the ability of a cell to receive, process, and transmit signals with its environment and with itself. Cell signaling is a fundamental property of all cellular life in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Signals that originate from outside a cell (or extracellular signals) can be physical agents like mechanical pressure, voltage, temperature, light, or chemical signals (e.g., small molecules, peptides, or gas).

Signal transduction

Signal transduction is the process by which a chemical or physical signal is transmitted through a cell as a series of molecular events. Most commonly, protein phosphorylation is catalyzed by protein kinases, ultimately resulting in a cellular response. Proteins responsible for detecting stimuli are generally termed receptors, although in some cases the term sensor is used. The changes elicited by ligand binding (or signal sensing) in a receptor give rise to a biochemical cascade, which is a chain of biochemical events known as a signaling pathway.

Wnt signaling pathway

The Wnt signaling pathways are a group of signal transduction pathways which begin with proteins that pass signals into a cell through cell surface receptors. The name Wnt is a portmanteau created from the names Wingless and Int-1. Wnt signaling pathways use either nearby cell-cell communication (paracrine) or same-cell communication (autocrine). They are highly evolutionarily conserved in animals, which means they are similar across animal species from fruit flies to humans.

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