Mirror-Imaging Molecules Modify Neuron Signaling in Biology

Chemists at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln have discovered that the orientation of a single amino acid in a sea slug can determine which neuron receptor is activated, leading to different types of neuronal activities. This finding sheds light on how the brain can regulate communication between cells in different ways. The study reveals that the orientation of a single amino acid in a peptide can dictate the likelihood that the peptide activates one neuron receptor versus another, pointing to another means by which a brain or nervous system can regulate communication among its cells.