Ligand recognition and activation of neuromedin U receptor 2

Neuromedin U receptor 2 is an emerging attractive target for treating obesity. Here, a Cryo-EM structure of NmU-25-NMU2-G(i1) provides the structural basis for the designation of highly selective drugs. Neuromedin U receptor 2 (NMU2), an emerging attractive target for treating obesity, has shown the capability in reducing food intake and regulating energy metabolism when activated. However, drug development of NMU2 was deferred partially due to the lack of structural information. Here, we present the cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of NMU2 bound to the endogenous agonist NmU-25 and G(i1) at 3.3 angstrom resolution. Combined with functional and computational data, the structure reveals the key factors that govern the recognition and selectivity of peptide agonist as well as non-peptide antagonist, providing the structural basis for design of novel and highly selective drugs targeting NMU2. In addition, a 25-degree rotation of G(i) protein in reference to NMU2 is also observed compared in other structures of class A GPCR-G(i) complexes, suggesting heterogeneity in the processes of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) activation and G protein coupling.

Automated summary

Neuromedin U receptor 2 (NMU2) is considered as a potential target for treating obesity. The Cryo-EM structure of NMU2 bound to agonist and G protein provides insights into the design of selective drugs. The study also reveals heterogeneity in the activation and coupling processes of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs).