Hitchhiking on the heptahelical highway: structure and function of 7TM receptor complexes.

ABSTRACT

A revolution in the analysis of seven transmembrane domain (7TM) receptors has provided detailed information about how these physiologically important signalling proteins interact with extracellular cues. However, it has proved much more challenging to understand how 7TM receptors convey information to their principal intracellular targets heterotrimeric G proteins, G protein-coupled receptor kinases and arrestins. Recent structures now suggest a common mechanism that enables these structurally diverse cytoplasmic proteins to 'hitch a ride' on hundreds of different activated 7TM receptors in order to instigate physiological change.