metabotropic glutamate receptor-like class C family of seven-transmembrane G protein-coupled receptors superfamily
The class C GPCRs consist of glutamate receptors (mGluR1-8), the extracellular calcium-sensing receptors (caSR), the gamma-amino-butyric acid type B receptors (GABA-B), the vomeronasal type-2 pheromone receptors (V2R), the type 1 taste receptors (TAS1R), and the promiscuous L-alpha-amino acid receptor (GPRC6A), as well as several orphan receptors. Structurally, these receptors are typically composed of a large extracellular domain containing a Venus flytrap module which possesses the orthosteric agonist-binding site, a cysteine-rich domain (CRD) with the exception of GABA-B receptors, and the seven-transmembrane domains responsible for G protein activation. Moreover, the Venus flytrap module shows high structural homology with bacterial periplasmic amino acid-binding proteins, which serve as primary receptors in transport of a variety of soluble substrates such as amino acids and polysaccharides, among many others. The class C GPCRs exist as either homo- or heterodimers, which are essential for their function. The GABA-B1 and GABA-B2 receptors form a heterodimer via interactions between the N-terminal Venus flytrap modules and the C-terminal coiled-coiled domains. On the other hand, heterodimeric CaSRs and Tas1Rs and homodimeric mGluRs utilize Venus flytrap interactions and intermolecular disulphide bonds between cysteine residues located in the cysteine-rich domain (CRD), which can also acts as a molecular link to mediate the signal between the Venus flytrap and the 7TMs. Furthermore, members of the class C GPCRs bind a variety of endogenous ligands, ranging from amino acids, ions, to pheromones and sugar molecules, and play important roles in many physiological processes such as synaptic transmission, calcium homeostasis, and the sensation of sweet and umami tastes.
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