“Molecular mechanisms of NMDA receptor function and regulation,” by Nami Tajima, Post Doctoral Fellow, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, NY.
N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) belong to a class of ionotropic glutamate receptors that are crucially involved in brain development and function, and NMDAR dysfunction is implicated in various neurological diseases. Although NMDAR structures representing inhibited states are available, there is no clear understanding of how conformational alteration in the extracellular domains regulate NMDAR activity. In my talk I will describe the first structural evidence for conformational alteration of the NMDARs and how the NMDARs are activated and inhibited. To understand the regulation mechanisms above, I conducted structural and functional studies. First I present the first structural evidence for conformational alteration in the NMDAR ATD wherein the bilobed structure of the ATD opens and closes. On the basis of structure-based mutagenesis coupled to electrophysiology, I show that stabilization of open and closed cleft conformations leads to activation and allosteric inhibition, respectively. In order to understand the conformational change in the context of full length, we obtained the intact NMDAR structure in an active conformation by cryo-electron microscopy in the absence of inhibitors. These studies allow us to uncover the conformational change in multiple domains and molecular mechanisms.
Hosted by Dr. Leonard Foster
Thursday, May 18 at 10:00 am. LSC#3, 2350 Health Sciences Mall
“Beyond DNA & RNA Synthetic Genetic Polymers,” by Alexander I Taylor, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge University, UK.
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“Identification of Novel Picornavirus Proteinase Substrates Using Terminal Amine Isotopic Labeling of Substrates”, by Julienne Jagdeo, PhD Candidate, Jan Lab.
“Reverse Chemical Genetics: Comprehensive Fitness Profiling Reveals Drug Target Interactions”, Corey Nislow, Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UBC. Monday, April 10, 2017, @3:00 pm LSC #2, 2350 Health Sciences Mall.
“Viral strategies to hijack and alter host cell functions during picornavirus replication”, by Bert Semler, Professor, Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine. Monday, April 3, 2017, 3:00 pm, LSC #3, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, UBC.
“Constraining Evolution – And Avoiding Drug Resistance: Lessons from Viruses”, by Celia Schiffer, Professor, University of Massachusetts Medical School.
“Integrative structural biology using mass spectrometry: the push towards structural proteomics,” by David Schriemer, University of Calgary.
“Design of carriers for delivery of short and long RNAs: from miRNA replacement therapy to CRISPR/Cas gene editing,” by Daniel Siegwart, Assistant Professor, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
“Disordered Protein Interactions in CFTR Regulation and Cellular Organization”, by Dr. Julie Forman-Kay, Professor, University of Toronto. Monday February 27th, 2017, 3:00 pm, LSC#3, 2350 Health Sciences Mall.