DOI

The identification and characterization of ligand-receptor binding sites are important for drug development. Trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs, members of the class A GPCR family) can interact with different biogenic amines and their metabolites, but the structural basis for their recognition by the TAARs is not well understood. In this work, we have revealed for the first time a group of conserved motifs (fingerprints) characterizing TAARs and studied the docking of aromatic (β-phenylethylamine, tyramine) and aliphatic (putrescine and cadaverine) ligands, including gamma-aminobutyric acid, with human TAAR1 and TAAR6 receptors. We have identified orthosteric binding sites for TAAR1 (Asp68, Asp102, Asp284) and TAAR6 (Asp78, Asp112, Asp202). By analyzing the binding results of 7500 structures, we determined that putrescine and cadaverine bind to TAAR1 at one site, Asp68 + Asp102, and to TAAR6 at two sites, Asp78 + Asp112 and Asp112 + Asp202. Tyramine binds to TAAR6 at the same two sites as putrescine and cadaverine and does not bind to TAAR1 at the selected Asp residues. β-Phenylethylamine and gamma-aminobutyric acid do not bind to the TAAR1 and TAAR6 receptors at the selected Asp residues. The search for ligands targeting allosteric and orthosteric sites of TAARs has excellent pharmaceutical potential.

Original languageEnglish
Article number209
Number of pages16
JournalInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences
Volume23
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 2022

    Research areas

  • Cadaverine, Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), Putrescine, TAAR1, TAAR6, Trace amine receptors, Trace amines, Tyramine, β-phenylethylamine, Phenethylamines/metabolism, Amino Acid Sequence, Humans, Binding Sites/physiology, Cadaverine/metabolism, Cell Cycle Proteins/metabolism, Tyramine/metabolism, gamma-Aminobutyric Acid/metabolism, Fishes/metabolism, Animals, Putrescine/metabolism, Biogenic Amines/metabolism, Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/metabolism, Ligands, Mice, ALLOSTERIC MODULATORS, TRACE AMINES, CHEMOSENSORY RECEPTORS, trace amine receptors, trace amines, FAMILY, URINE, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), putrescine, cadaverine, CADAVERINE, beta-phenylethylamine, SERUM, tyramine, GPCRS, OLFACTORY RECEPTOR

    Scopus subject areas

  • Molecular Biology
  • Spectroscopy
  • Catalysis
  • Inorganic Chemistry
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
  • Organic Chemistry

ID: 93026896