Crystal structure of the ectodomain of Methuselah, a Drosophila G protein-coupled receptor associated with extended lifespan

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001 Mar 27;98(7):3744-9. doi: 10.1073/pnas.051625298. Epub 2001 Mar 13.

Abstract

The Drosophila mutant methuselah (mth) was identified from a screen for single gene mutations that extended average lifespan. Mth mutants have a 35% increase in average lifespan and increased resistance to several forms of stress, including heat, starvation, and oxidative damage. The protein affected by this mutation is related to G protein-coupled receptors of the secretin receptor family. Mth, like secretin receptor family members, has a large N-terminal ectodomain, which may constitute the ligand binding site. Here we report the 2.3-A resolution crystal structure of the Mth extracellular region, revealing a folding topology in which three primarily beta-structure-containing domains meet to form a shallow interdomain groove containing a solvent-exposed tryptophan that may represent a ligand binding site. The Mth structure is analyzed in relation to predicted Mth homologs and potential ligand binding features.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Binding Sites
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Drosophila / chemistry*
  • Drosophila Proteins*
  • Life Expectancy
  • Ligands
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny
  • Protein Conformation
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / chemistry*
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / classification
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled*
  • Receptors, Gastrointestinal Hormone / chemistry
  • Receptors, Gastrointestinal Hormone / classification
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid

Substances

  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Ligands
  • Receptors, Cell Surface
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
  • Receptors, Gastrointestinal Hormone
  • mth protein, Drosophila
  • secretin receptor

Associated data

  • PDB/1FJR