Biomaterial Database

Single-Molecule Analysis of G Protein-Coupled Receptor Stoichiometry: Approaches and Limitations. 2018

James H Felce, and Simon J Davis, and David Klenerman

Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FY, UK. Electronic address: james.felce@kennedy.ox.ac.uk.

How G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are organized at the cell surface remains highly contentious. Single-molecule (SM) imaging is starting to inform this debate as receptor behavior can now be visualized directly, without the need for interpreting ensemble data. The limited number of SM studies of GPCRs undertaken to date have strongly suggested that dimerization is at most transient, and that most receptors are monomeric at any given time. However, even SM data has its caveats and needs to be interpreted carefully. Here, we discuss the types of SM imaging strategies used to examine GPCR stoichiometry and consider some of these caveats. We also emphasize that attempts to resolve the debate ought to rely on orthogonal approaches to measuring receptor stoichiometry.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008024	Ligands	A molecule that binds to another molecule, used especially to refer to a small molecule that binds specifically to a larger molecule, e.g., an antigen binding to an antibody, a hormone or neurotransmitter binding to a receptor, or a substrate or allosteric effector binding to an enzyme. Ligands are also molecules that donate or accept a pair of electrons to form a coordinate covalent bond with the central metal atom of a coordination complex. (From Dorland, 27th ed)	Ligand
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000072760	Single Molecule Imaging	High resolution imaging techniques that allow visualization of individual molecules of proteins, lipids, or nucleic acids within cells or tissues.	Single Molecule Analysis,Single Molecule Tracking,Single Particle Analysis,Single Particle Imaging,Single Particle Microscopy,Single Particle Spectroscopy,Single Particle Tracking,Single Molecule Microscopy,Single Molecule Spectroscopy,Analyses, Single Particle,Analysis, Single Molecule,Analysis, Single Particle,Imaging, Single Molecule,Imaging, Single Particle,Microscopies, Single Particle,Microscopy, Single Molecule,Microscopy, Single Particle,Particle Tracking, Single,Single Molecule Analyses,Single Particle Analyses,Single Particle Microscopies,Single Particle Spectroscopies,Single Particle Trackings,Spectroscopy, Single Molecule,Spectroscopy, Single Particle,Tracking, Single Molecule,Tracking, Single Particle
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D043562	Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled	The largest family of cell surface receptors involved in SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION. They share a common structure and signal through HETEROTRIMERIC G-PROTEINS.	G Protein Coupled Receptor,G-Protein-Coupled Receptor,G-Protein-Coupled Receptors,G Protein Coupled Receptors,Receptor, G-Protein-Coupled,Receptors, G Protein Coupled
D021122	Protein Subunits	Single chains of amino acids that are the units of multimeric PROTEINS. Multimeric proteins can be composed of identical or non-identical subunits. One or more monomeric subunits may compose a protomer which itself is a subunit structure of a larger assembly.	Protomers,Protein Subunit,Protomer,Subunit, Protein,Subunits, Protein