BBS/B/04382 Picometre Structural Resolution

Project overview

The molecular structure and conformation of the retinylidene chromophore of the membrane-bounds GPCR bovine rhodopsin will be elucidated by specific isotopic labelling and low-temperature solid-state NMR. The expected spatial resolution is 3 picometres for the bond lengths, and 5 degrees for the torsional angles. The molecular structure and conformation of the chromophore will be studied in the rhodopsin ground state, as well as a series of photointermediates, including the energy-rich primary photointermediate bathorhodopsin. The picometre structural information will be combined with density functional calculations to provide the most detailed molecular-level understanding obtained so far on the prosthetic group of a membrane-bound GPCR protein and its interactions with the active site.

Staff

Lead researchers

Professor Malcolm Levitt

Professor of Chemistry

Research interests

Magnetic Resonance
Endofullerenes

Connect with Malcolm

Email: mhl@soton.ac.uk

Other researchers

Professor Richard Brown

Professor of Organic Chemistry

Research interests

Organic synthesis
Total synthesis of natural products
Asymmetric synthesis

Connect with Richard

Email: R.C.Brown@soton.ac.uk

Research outputs

A large geometric distortion in the first photointermediate of rhodopsin, determined by double-quantum solid-state NMR

Maria Concistrè, Ole G. Johannessen, Neville McLean, Petra H. M. Bovee-Geurts, Richard C. D. Brown, Willem J. DeGrip & Malcolm H. Levitt, 2012, Journal of Biomolecular NMR, 53(3), 247-256

DOI: 10.1007/s10858-012-9635-4

Type: article

Syntheses of 13C2-labelled 11Z-retinals

Neville J. McLean, Axel Gansmuller, Maria Concistre, Lynda J. Brown, Malcom H. Levitt & Richard C.D. Brown, 2011, Tetrahedron, 67(43), 8404-8410

DOI: 10.1016/j.tet.2011.07.092

Type: article

Towards an interpretation of 13C chemical shifts in bathorhodopsin, a functional intermediate of a G-protein coupled receptor

A. Gansmüller, M. Concistrè, N. McLean, O.G. Johannessen, I. Marín-Montesinos, P.H.M. Bovee-Geurts, P. Verdegem, J. Lugtenburg, R.C.D. Brown, W.J. DeGrip & M.H. Levitt, 2009, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Biomembranes, 1788(6), 1350-1357

DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2009.02.018

Type: article

Light penetration and photoisomerization in rhodopsin studied by numerical simulations and double-quantum solid-state NMR spectroscopy

Maria Concistre, Axel Gansmuller, Neville McLean, Ole G. Johannessen, Ildefonso Marin Montesinos, Petra H.M. Bovee-Geurts, Richard C.D. Brown, Willem J. DeGrip & Malcolm H. Levitt, 2009, Journal of the American Chemical Society, 131(17), 6133-6140

DOI: 10.1021/ja809878c

Type: article

Double-quantum 13C nuclear magnetic resonance of bathorhodopsin, the first photointermediate in mammalian vision

Maria Concistrè, Axel Gansmüller, Neville McLean, Ole G. Johannessen, Ildefonso Marín Montesinos, Petra H.M. Bovee-Geurts, Peter Verdegem, Johan Lugtenburg, Richard C.D. Brown, Willem J. DeGrip & Malcolm H. Levitt, 2008, Journal of the American Chemical Society, 130(32), 10490-10491

DOI: 10.1021/ja803801u

Type: article

Accurate measurements of 13C-13C J-couplings in the rhodopsin chromophore by double-quantum solid-state NMR spectroscopy

Wai Cheu Lai, Neville McLean, Axel Gansmüller, Michiel A. Verhoeven, Gian Carlo Antonioli, Marina Carravetta, Luminita Duma, Petra H.M. Bovee-Geurts, Ole G. Johannessen, Hub J.M. de Groot, Johan Lugtenburg, Lyndon Emsley, Steven P. Brown, Richard C.D. Brown, Willem J. DeGrip & Malcolm H. Levitt, 2006, Journal of the American Chemical Society, 128(2), 3878-3879

DOI: 10.1021/ja0581604

Type: article