Antagonists to human and mouse vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 generated by directed protein evolution in vitro.

Using directed in vitro protein evolution, we generated proteins that bound and antagonized the function of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2). Binders to human VEGFR2 (KDR) with 10-200 nM affinities were selected by using mRNA display from a library (10(13) variants) based on the tenth human fibronectin type III domain (10Fn3) scaffold. Subsequently, a single KDR binding clone (K(d) = 11 nM) was subjected to affinity maturation.

Changes in interhelical hydrogen bonding upon rhodopsin activation.

Hydrogen bonding interactions between transmembrane helices stabilize the visual pigment rhodopsin in an inactive conformation in the dark. The crystal structure of rhodopsin has previously revealed that Glu122 and Trp126 on transmembrane helix H3 form a complex hydrogen bonding network with Tyr206 and His211 on H5, while the indole nitrogen of Trp265 on H6 forms a water-mediated hydrogen bond with Asn302 on H7. Here, we use solid-state magic angle spinning NMR spectroscopy to probe the changes in hydrogen bonding upon rhodopsin activation.

Differential dynamics in the G protein-coupled receptor rhodopsin revealed by solution NMR.

G protein-coupled receptors are cell-surface seven-helical membrane proteins that undergo conformational changes on activation. The mammalian photoreceptor, rhodopsin, is the best-studied member of this superfamily. Here, we provide the first evidence that activation in rhodopsin may involve differential dynamic properties of side-chain versus backbone atoms.