STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF RECEPTORS COUPLED TO G-PROTEINS

Direct structural data on receptors coupled to G proteins were obtaine d last year in the form of a low resolution projection map of rhodopsi n. A large number of receptor sequences have now been determined and d etailed analysis of these has provided structural information about th e receptors. New results from site-directed mutagenesis experiments ca n be examined in conjunction with the structural information from sequ ence analysis and the rhodopsin map. The identification of constitutiv ely active mutated receptors has influenced our understanding of norma l receptor equilibria.