Cryo-EM Structures of Brain-Derived G Protein-Coupled Receptors: The First Direct Visualization from Mammalian Brain Tissue

Wright, N. J.; Chiu, Y.-T.; Sakamoto, K.; Kocak, D. D.; Fordyce, B. A.; Hua, K.; Huang, K. L.; Scherrer, G.; Lyons, S. P.; Roth, B. L.

doi:10.64898/2026.04.01.715822

bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.04.01.715822

Cryo-EM Structures of Brain-Derived G Protein-Coupled Receptors: The First Direct Visualization from Mammalian Brain Tissue

Wright, N. J.·Chiu, Y.-T.·Sakamoto, K.·Kocak, D. D.·Fordyce, B. A.·Hua, K.·Huang, K. L.·Scherrer, G.·Lyons, S. P.·Roth, B. L.

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Abstract

Glutamate is the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain and mediates its actions by both ionotropic (e.g. NMDA and AMPA) and metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs). The Groups II and III mGluRs, which pre-synaptically inhibit glutamate release, are important for synaptic plasticity, modulating neuronal excitation, learning and memory. Our current understanding of the structural organization and dynamics of these and other mGluRs, as well as most other GPCRs, relies mainly on studies using recombinant and highly engineered systems in vitro. Here, we combine CRISPR-mediated protein tagging, proteomics and a rapid immunoaffinity purification method to isolate endogenous mGluR2-containing assemblies from mouse brain and visualize them via cryo-EM. Analysis of the particle sets reveals the molecular structures of at least 11 distinct endogenous receptor assemblies that span active and inactive states, homomeric and heteromeric dimers, and G protein-coupled and uncoupled species. We find that mGluR2 homodimers and mGluR2/3 heterodimers are the major endogenous mGluR2-containing species present in the brain, with the mGluR2/3 heterodimers detected only in active state complexes, potentially reflecting basal activation of mGluR3 containing dimers by chloride. Reconstructing a comprehensive conformational equilibrium for the brain-isolated receptors in detergent reveals endogenous ternary complexes comprising mGluR2 homodimers and mGluR2/3 heterodimers with a single GoA heterotrimer which exhibit significant differences from prior studies with recombinant systems. Our work illuminates the endogenous conformational, proteomic and compositional landscape of the heterogenous mGluR2 complexes in the brain, thereby providing a structural framework for the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders. This information has the potential to be leveraged for therapeutic targeting of endogenous glutamatergic signaling complexes.

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Wright, N. J., Chiu, Y.-T., Sakamoto, K., Kocak, D. D., Fordyce, B. A., Hua, K., Huang, K. L., Scherrer, G., Lyons, S. P., Roth, B. L.. 2026-04-03. Cryo-EM Structures of Brain-Derived G Protein-Coupled Receptors: The First Direct Visualization from Mammalian Brain Tissue. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.04.01.715822

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