Détails de la réservation
- Le : 5 October 2017
- De : 14 h 00
- à : 16 h 00
- Salle : Amphi Centre Broca Nouvelle - Aquitaine
Détails de l'évènement
Maria Musgaard
PhD, Structural Bioinformatics and Computational Biochemistry
Department of Biochemistry University of Oxford
"Structures in motion – using computer simulations to understand brain receptor function (Interview for group leader position in Bordeaux)"
Résumé
Advances in structural biology has provided us with a wealth of atomic-resolution structural information for membrane proteins, including receptors in the central nervous system. These structures can be seen as static snapshots of the receptor, and although much can be learnt from such snapshots, one often needs to study the dynamics to get a better understanding of how the receptor works, how mutations affect receptor function or how modulators exert their effect. Using computer simulations to predict receptor dynamics, we can obtain high resolution in space and time simultaneously and thus bridge static structural and dynamic functional data.
I will discuss some of our recent work, focussing on understanding the function and modulation of ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs). By combining simulation studies with electrophysiology, we have e.g. described an unanticipated role of sodium ions in regulating kainate receptors (Nat. Struct. Mol. Biol. 2013), and for AMPA receptors identified a structural motif crucial for activation for the “naked” receptor but only of minor importance in the presence of auxiliary subunits (Neuron 2016). Furthermore, we have demonstrated that a cheap simulation method can predict stabilising or destabilising effects of iGluR mutations (J. Chem. Inf. Model. 2016). I will furthermore touch upon some of my ongoing work on acid-sensing ion channels, where we are seeking to understand how the acid sensors control channel gating.
Invitant : Daniel Choquet, Directeur de l'IINS
Responsable
- Nom : Choquet Daniel