extracellular domain of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor
This family contains the extracellular domain of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR), a member of the pentameric "Cys-loop" superfamily of transmitter-gated ion channels. nAChR is found in high concentrations at the nerve-muscle synapse, where it mediates fast chemical transmission of electrical signals in response to the endogenous neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) released from the nerve terminal into the synaptic cleft. Thus far, seventeen nAChR subunits have been identified, including ten alpha subunits, four beta subunits, and one gamma, delta, and epsilon subunit each, all found on the cell membrane that non-selectively conducts cations (Na+, K+, Ca++). These nAChR subunits combine in several different ways to form functional nAChR subtypes which are broadly categorized as either muscle subtype located at the neuromuscular junction or neuronal subtype that are found on neurons and on other cell types throughout the body. The muscle type of nAChRs are formed by the alpha1, beta1, gamma, delta, and epsilon subunits while the neuronal type are composed of nine alpha subunits and three beta subunits, which combine in various permutations and combinations to form functional receptors. Among various subtypes of neuronal nAChRs, the homomeric alpha7 and the heteromeric alpha4beta2 receptors are the main subtypes widely distributed in the brain and implicated in the pathophysiology of neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia and autism and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Among subtypes of muscle nAChRs, the heteromeric subunits (alpha1)2, beta, gamma, and delta in fetal muscle, and the gamma subunit replaced by epsilon in adult muscle have been implicated in congenital myasthenic syndromes and multiple pterygium syndromes due to various mutations. This family also includes alpha- and beta-like nAChRs found in protostomia.
Structure:5KXI: Homo sapiens alpha4beta2 nicotinic receptor ligand binding domain interacts with adjacent subunits and forms a pentamer; contacts at 4.0A
Jiyao W et al.(2023). "The conserved domain database in 2023.",