Extending the Structural View of Class B GPCRs

Abstract

The secretin-like class B family of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are key players in hormonal homeostasis. Recent structures of various receptors in complex with a variety of orthosteric and allosteric ligands provide fundamental new insights into the function and mechanism of class B GPCRs, including: (i) ligand-induced changes in the relative orientation of the extracellular and transmembrane receptor domains; (ii) intramolecular interaction networks that stabilize conformational changes to accommodate intracellular G protein binding; and (iii) allosteric modulation of receptor activation. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the structural, biochemical, and pharmacological data on class B GPCRs for understanding ligand-receptor interaction and modulation mechanisms and assessing the potential implications for drug discovery for the secretin-like GPCR family.

Keywords: calcitonin receptor; class B G protein-coupled receptor; glucagon receptor; glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor; structural biology; structure–function relationship.