Class B1 GPCR activation by an intracellular agonist.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) generally accommodate specific ligands in the orthosteric-binding pockets. Ligand binding triggers a receptor allosteric conformational change that leads to the activation of intracellular transducers, G proteins and ß-arrestins. Because these signals often induce adverse effects, the selective activation mechanism for each transducer must be elucidated. Thus, many orthosteric-biased agonists have been developed, and intracellular-biased agonists have recently attracted broad interest. These agonists bind within the receptor intracellular cavity and preferentially tune the specific signalling pathway over other signalling pathways, without allosteric rearrangement of the receptor from the extracellular side1-3. However, only antagonist-bound structures are currently available1,4-6, and there is no evidence to support that biased agonist binding occurs within the intracellular cavity. This limits the comprehension of intracellular-biased agonism and potential drug development. Here we report the cryogenic electron microscopy structure of a complex of Gs and the human parathyroid hormone type 1 receptor (PTH1R) bound to a PTH1R agonist, PCO371. PCO371 binds within an intracellular pocket of PTH1R and directly interacts with Gs. The PCO371-binding mode rearranges the intracellular region towards the active conformation without extracellularly induced allosteric signal propagation. PCO371 stabilizes the significantly outward-bent conformation of transmembrane helix 6, which facilitates binding to G proteins rather than ß-arrestins. Furthermore, PCO371 binds within the highly conserved intracellular pocket, activating 7 out of the 15 class B1 GPCRs. Our study identifies a new and conserved intracellular agonist-binding pocket and provides evidence of a biased signalling mechanism that targets the receptor-transducer interface.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is an endogenous A3 adenosine receptor ligand.

About 150 post-transcriptional RNA modifications have been identified in all kingdoms of life. During RNA catabolism, most modified nucleosides are resistant to degradation and are released into the extracellular space. In this study, we explored the physiological role of these extracellular modified nucleosides and found that N6-methyladenosine (m6A), widely recognized as an epigenetic mark in RNA, acts as a ligand for the human adenosine A3 receptor, for which it has greater affinity than unmodified adenosine. We used structural modeling to define the amino acids required for specific binding of m6A to the human A3 receptor. We also demonstrated that m6A was dynamically released in response to cytotoxic stimuli and facilitated type I allergy in vivo. Our findings implicate m6A as a signaling molecule capable of activating G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and triggering pathophysiological responses, a previously unreported property of RNA modifications.

Heterotrimeric G Protein Subunit Gαq Is a Master Switch for Gßγ-Mediated Calcium Mobilization by Gi-Coupled GPCRs.

Mechanisms that control mobilization of cytosolic calcium [Ca2+]i are key for regulation of numerous eukaryotic cell functions. One such paradigmatic mechanism involves activation of phospholipase Cß (PLCß) enzymes by G protein ßγ subunits from activated Gαi-Gßγ heterotrimers. Here, we report identification of a master switch to enable this control for PLCß enzymes in living cells. We find that the Gαi-Gßγ-PLCß-Ca2+ signaling module is entirely dependent on the presence of active Gαq. If Gαq is pharmacologically inhibited or genetically ablated, Gßγ can bind to PLCß but does not elicit Ca2+ signals. Removal of an auto-inhibitory linker that occludes the active site of the enzyme is required and sufficient to empower "stand-alone control" of PLCß by Gßγ. This dependence of Gi-Gßγ-Ca2+ on Gαq places an entire signaling branch of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) under hierarchical control of Gq and changes our understanding of how Gi-GPCRs trigger [Ca2+]i via PLCß enzymes.

Heterotrimeric Gq proteins act as a switch for GRK5/6 selectivity underlying ß-arrestin transducer bias.

Signaling-biased ligands acting on G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) differentially activate heterotrimeric G proteins and ß-arrestins. Although a wealth of structural knowledge about signaling bias at the GPCR level exists (preferential engagement of a specific transducer), little is known about the bias at the transducer level (different functions mediated by a single transducer), partly due to a poor understanding of GPCR kinase (GRK)-mediated GPCR phosphorylation. Here, we reveal a unique role of the Gq heterotrimer as a determinant for GRK-subtype selectivity that regulates subsequent ß-arrestin conformation and function. Using the angiotensin II (Ang II) type-1 receptor (AT1R), we show that ß-arrestin recruitment depends on both GRK2/3 and GRK5/6 upon binding of Ang II, but solely on GRK5/6 upon binding of the ß-arrestin-biased ligand TRV027. With pharmacological inhibition or genetic loss of Gq, GRK-subtype selectivity and ß-arrestin functionality by Ang II is shifted to those of TRV027. Single-molecule imaging identifies relocation of AT1R and GRK5, but not GRK2, to an immobile phase under the Gq-inactive, AT1R-stimulated conditions. These findings uncover a previously unappreciated Gq-regulated mechanism that encodes GRK-subtype selectivity and imparts distinct phosphorylation-barcodes directing downstream ß-arrestin functions.