Computational Approaches for Modeling GPCR Dimerization
Abstract:
Growing experimental evidences suggest that dimerization and oligomerization are
important for G Protein-Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) function.
The detailed structural information of dimeric/oligomeric GPCRs would be
very important to understand their function.
Although it is encouraging that recently several experimental GPCR structures
in oligomeric forms have appeared, experimental determination of GPCR structures
in oligomeric forms is still a big challenge, especially in mimicking
the membrane environment.
Therefore, development of computational approaches to predict dimerization of GPCRs
will be highly valuable.
In this review, we summarize computational approaches that have been developed and
used for modeling of GPCR dimerization.
In addition, we introduce a novel two-dimensional Brownian Dynamics
based protein docking approach, which we have recently adapted, for GPCR dimer prediction.