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Monoamine transporters: insights from molecular dynamics simulations

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DOI

  • Julie Grouleff
  • ,
  • Lucy Kate Ladefoged
  • ,
  • Heidi Koldso, University of Oxford, Denmark
  • Birgit Schiott

The human monoamine transporters (MATs) facilitate the reuptake of the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine from the synaptic cleft. Imbalance in monoaminergic neurotransmission is linked to various diseases including major depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, schizophrenia, and Parkinson's disease. Inhibition of the MATs is thus an important strategy for treatment of such diseases. The MATs are sodium-coupled transport proteins belonging to the neurotransmitter/Na+ symporter (NSS) family, and the publication of the first highresolution structure of a NSS family member, the bacterial leucine transporter LeuT, in 2005, proved to be a major stepping stone for understanding this family of transporters. Structural data allows for the use of computational methods to study the MATs, which in turn has led to a number of important discoveries. The process of substrate translocation across the membrane is an intrinsically dynamic process. Molecular dynamics simulations, which can provide atomistic details of molecular motion on ns to ms timescales, are therefore well-suited for studying transport processes. In this review, we outline how molecular dynamics simulations have provided insight into the large scale motions associated with transport of the neurotransmitters, as well as the presence of external and internal gates, the coupling between ion and substrate transport, and differences in the conformational changes induced by substrates and inhibitors.

Original languageEnglish
Article number235
JournalFrontiers in Pharmacology
Volume6
Number of pages15
ISSN1663-9812
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 16 Oct 2015

    Research areas

  • molecular dynamics, monoamine transporters, serotonin transporter, dopamine transporter, norepinephrine transporter, HUMAN SEROTONIN TRANSPORTER, DEPENDENT NEUROTRANSMITTER TRANSPORTERS, BIOGENIC-AMINE TRANSPORTERS, ANTIDEPRESSANT BINDING-SITE, HUMAN DOPAMINE TRANSPORTER, PROTEIN FORCE-FIELD, X-RAY STRUCTURES, BACTERIAL HOMOLOG, SUBSTRATE-BINDING, NOREPINEPHRINE TRANSPORTER

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