Ab initio modeling and molecular dynamics simulation of the α1b-adrenergic receptor activation

This work describes the ab initio procedure employed to build an activation model for the alpha(1b)-adrenergic receptor (alpha(1b)-AR). The first version of the model was progressively modified and complicated by means of a many-step iterative procedure characterized by the employment of experimental validations of the model in each upgrading step. a combined simulated (molecular dynamics) and experimental mutagenesis approach was used to determine the structural and dynamic features characterizing the inactive and active states of alpha(1b)-AR. The latest version of the model has been successfully challenged with respect to its ability to interpret and predict the functional properties of a large number of mutants. The iterative approach employed to describe alpha(1b)-AR activation in terms of molecular structure and dynamics allows further complications of the model to allow prediction and interpretation of an ever-increasing number of experimental data. (C) 1998 Academic Press.