Studies of the structure of the N-terminal domain from the Y4 receptor - a G protein-coupled receptor - and its interaction with hormones from the NPY family

Binding of peptide hormones to G protein-coupled receptors is believed to be mediated through formation of contacts of the ligands with residues of the extracellular loops of family 1 GPCRs. Here we have investigated whether additional binding sites exist within the N-terminal domain, as studied in the form of binding of peptides from the neuropeptide Y (NPY) family to the N terminus of the Y4 receptor (N-Y4). The N-terminal domain of the Y4 receptor has been expressed in isotopically enriched form and studied by solution NMR spectroscopy. The peptide is unstructured in solution, whereas a micelle-associated helical segment is formed in the presence of dodecylphosphocholine (DPC) or sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS). As measured by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy, N-Y4 binds with approximately 50 microM affinity to the pancreatic polypeptide (PP), a high-affinity ligand to the Y4 receptor, whereas binding to neuropeptide Y (NPY) and peptide YY (PYY) is much weaker. Residues critical for binding in PP and in N-Y4 have been identified by site-directed mutagenesis. The data indicate that electrostatic interactions dominate and that this interaction is mediated by acidic ligand and basic receptor residues. Residues of N-Y4 are likely to contribute to the binding of PP, and in addition might possibly also help to transfer the hormone from the membrane-bound state into the receptor binding pocket.