The 2.8 Å crystal structure of visual arrestin: A model for arrestin's regulation

Joel A. Hirsch, Carsten Schubert, Vsevolod V. Gurevich, Paul B. Sigler*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

395 Scopus citations

Abstract

G protein-coupled signaling is utilized by a wide variety of eukaryotes for communicating information from the extracellular environment. Signal termination is achieved by the action of the arrestins, which bind to activated, phosphorylated G protein-coupled receptors. We describe here crystallographic studies of visual arrestin in its basal conformation. The salient features of the structure are a bipartite molecule with an unusual polar core. This core is stabilized in part by an extended carboxy-terminal tail that locks the molecule into an inactive state. In addition, arrestin is found to be a dimer of two asymmetric molecules, suggesting an intrinsic conformational plasticity. In conjunction with biochemical and mutagenesis data, we propose a molecular mechanism by which arrestin is activated for receptor binding.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)257-269
Number of pages13
JournalCell
Volume97
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 16 Apr 1999
Externally publishedYes

Funding

FundersFunder number
National Eye InstituteR01EY011500

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