Insights into lysophosphatidylserine recognition and Gα12/13-coupling specificity of P2Y10.

The lysophosphatidylserine (LysoPS) receptor P2Y10, also known as LPS2, plays crucial roles in the regulation of immune responses and holds promise for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. Here, we report the cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of LysoPS-bound P2Y10 in complex with an engineered G13 heterotrimeric protein. The structure and a mutagenesis study highlight the predominant role of a comprehensive polar network in facilitating the binding and activation of the receptor by LysoPS. This interaction pattern is preserved in GPR174, but not in GPR34. Moreover, our structural study unveils the essential interactions that underlie the Gα13 engagement of P2Y10 and identifies key determinants for Gα12-vs.-Gα13-coupling selectivity, whose mutations selectively disrupt Gα12 engagement while preserving the intact coupling of Gα13. The combined structural and functional studies provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of LysoPS recognition and Gα12/13 coupling specificity.

Identification of Gα12-vs-Gα13-coupling determinants and development of a Gα12/13-coupled designer GPCR.

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) transduce diverse signals into the cell by coupling to one or several Gα subtypes. Of the 16 Gα subtypes in human cells, Gα12 and Gα13 belong to the G12 subfamily and are reported to be functionally different. Notably, certain GPCRs display selective coupling to either Gα12 or Gα13, highlighting their significance in various cellular contexts. However, the structural basis underlying this selectivity remains unclear. Here, using a Gα12-coupled designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADD; G12D) as a model system, we identified residues in the α5 helix and the receptor that collaboratively determine Gα12-vs-Gα13 selectivity. Residue-swapping experiments showed that G12D distinguishes differences between Gα12 and Gα13 in the positions G.H5.09 and G.H5.23 in the α5 helix. Molecular dynamics simulations observed that I378G.H5.23 in Gα12 interacts with N1032.39, S1693.53 and Y17634.53 in G12D, while H364G.H5.09 in Gα12 interact with Q2645.71 in G12D. Screening of mutations at these positions in G12D identified G12D mutants that enhanced coupling with Gα12 and to an even greater extent with Gα13. Combined mutations, most notably the dual Y17634.53H and Q2645.71R mutant, further enhanced Gα12/13 coupling, thereby serving as a potential Gα12/13-DREADD. Such novel Gα12/13-DREADD may be useful in future efforts to develop drugs that target Gα12/13 signaling as well as to identify their therapeutic indications.