Functional dynamics of G protein-coupled receptors reveal new routes for drug discovery.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest human membrane protein family that transduce extracellular signals into cellular responses. They are major pharmacological targets, with approximately 26% of marketed drugs targeting GPCRs, primarily at their orthosteric binding site. Despite their prominence, predicting the pharmacological effects of novel GPCR-targeting drugs remains challenging due to the complex functional dynamics of these receptors.

Cell membranes sustain phospholipid imbalance via cholesterol asymmetry.

Membranes are molecular interfaces that compartmentalize cells to control the flow of nutrients and information. These functions are facilitated by diverse collections of lipids, nearly all of which are distributed asymmetrically between the two bilayer leaflets. Most models of biomembrane structure and function often include the implicit assumption that these leaflets have similar abundances of phospholipids.

Phonons reveal coupled cholesterol-lipid dynamics in ternary membranes.

Experimental studies of collective dynamics in lipid bilayers have been challenging due to the energy resolution required to observe these low-energy phonon-like modes. However, inelastic x-ray scattering (IXS) measurements-a technique for probing vibrations in soft and biological materials-are now possible with sub-meV resolution, permitting direct observation of low-energy, phonon-like modes in lipid membranes. Here, IXS measurements with sub-meV energy resolution reveal a low-energy optic-like phonon mode at roughly 3 meV in the liquid-ordered (L) and liquid-disordered phases of a ternary lipid mixture.

PFO Device Complications: Literature Review and Possible Implications for Echocardiographic Follow-Up.

Introduction: Transthoracic (TTE) follow up guidelines after PFO device closure are vague. The primary goal of this study was to perform a literature search to characterize the timing of complications that occur after PFO device placement to determine the utility of long-term routine TTE.

Methods: A search was performed in Medline (PubMed) with English language and publication date (2000-2023) filters were applied.