Study published in Nature may offer a new way to look at the effects of drugs in their native membrane environments

Study published in Nature may offer a new way to look at the effects of drugs in their native membrane environments

In a new study published online in Nature entitled “Capturing a rhodopsin receptor signaling cascade across a native membrane,” researchers at the Oxford Kavli Institute used mass spectrometry to probe the archetype class A GPCR, rhodopsin, directly in fragments of its native disc membranes. They monitored real-time photoconversion of dark-adapted rhodopsin to opsin, delineating the stepwise isomerization of retinal and hydrolysis of the retinal-opsin adduct. They also discovered that the reaction is significantly slower in its natural membrane environment than in artificial detergent micelles. 

To do this, a mass spectrometer was moved into a dark room and operated under red light conditions then flashes of light were applied applied to initiate the signalling cascade that was monitored in real-time.

Professor Dame Carol Robinson, who led the research in Oxford, said: “I am delighted that we got this to work and very grateful to Siyun Chen the first author who had to overcome many technical challenges. This really could offer a new way to look at the effects of drugs in their native membrane environments.”