Dear CCP4BB,
Forgive me for soap boxing, but yesterday the first structure of a
GPCR/Gprotein complex was released (PDB:
http://www.rcsb.org/pdb/explore/explore.do?structureId=3SN6, article:
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vnfv/ncurrent/full/nature10361.html).
Recently a student preparing for their dissertation asked this board
for its opinion about the most significant recent structural
accomplishment, and among many things the progress on GPCRs was
mentioned (albeit as being "cute", I think).
Reading this work from Kobilka and Sunahara's two groups, I am floored
by what it must have taken to achieve this - particularly if you know
how hard and how long people have tried (both past and present) to get
a GPCR/Gprotein complex structure. It is my opinion that this
structure was something of a holy grail for the GPCR community.
So, even if you don't usually follow the developments of membrane
crystallography, I wanted to invite your attention to this historical
achievement in the GPCR field; and I hope you will join me in
congratulating the scientist involved in this work.
Cheers~
~Justin
