Sj. Opella et al., Structures of the M2 channel-lining segments from nicotinic acetylcholine and NMDA receptors by NMR spectroscopy, NAT ST BIOL, 6(4), 1999, pp. 374-379
The structures of functional peptides corresponding to the predicted channe
l-lining M2 segments of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) and of
a glutamate receptor of the NMDA subtype (NMDAR) were determined using solu
tion NMR experiments on micelle samples, and solid-state NMR experiments on
bilayer samples. Both M2 segments form straight transmembrane alpha-helice
s with no kinks. The AChR M2 peptide inserts in the lipid bilayer at an ang
le of 12 degrees relative to the bilayer normal, with a rotation about the
helix long axis such that the polar residues face the M-terminal side of th
e membrane, which is assigned to be intracellular. A model built from these
solid-state NMR data, and assuming a symmetric pentameric arrangement of M
2 helices, results in a funnel-like architecture for the channel, with the
wide opening on the N-terminal intracellular side.