Visualizing G Protein-Coupled Receptor Communication for Drug Discovery

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur have discovered a novel mechanism that regulates G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), a class of drug targets involved in regulating heart function, blood pressure, mental disorders, and behavior. The researchers used cryogenic-electron microscopy to visualize the cross-talk of GPCRs and arrestins in great detail, providing a complete understanding of GPCR-arrestin interaction. This discovery has important implications for understanding cellular signaling in the human body and could facilitate novel drug discovery for several human disease conditions.