N-terminal leucine-isoleucine-valine binding protein (LIVBP)-like domain of the AMPA receptor
N-terminal leucine-isoleucine-valine binding protein (LIVBP)-like domain of the AMPA (alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid) receptor, a member of the glutamate-receptor ion channels (iGluRs). AMPA receptors are the major mediators of excitatory synaptic transmission in the central nervous system. While this N-terminal domain belongs to the periplasmic-binding fold type 1 superfamily, the glutamate-binding domain of the iGluR is structurally homologous to the periplasmic-binding fold type 2. The LIVBP-like domain of iGluRs is thought to play a role in the initial assembly of iGluR subunits, but it is not well understood how this domain is arranged and functions in intact iGluR. AMPA receptors consist of four types of subunits (GluR1, GluR2, GluR3, and GluR4) which combine to form a tetramer and play an important roles in mediating the rapid excitatory synaptic current.