A secret protein functions as a true hunger trigger mechanism. A big step forward for appetite regulation studies.
O MC4R is a crucial receptor that responds to the peptide hormone MSH and plays a central role in the work of the Collaborative Research Center 1423 (CRC 1423).
“Knowledge of the 3D structures of the active receptor in interaction with ligands and drugs such as setmelanotidewhich we were able to decipher in a previous study, allowed us to better understand the new functional data”, says Patrick Scheerer, project leader at CRC 1423 and co-author of the study, to .
“We are proud that CRC 1423 has now also contributed to the understanding transport and receiver availability“, says Professor Annette Beck-Sickinger, spokesperson for CRC 1423 and co-author of the recently published in Nature.
Through the use of advanced fluorescence microscopy e single cell imageresearchers discovered that a protein called MRAP2 plays a key role in how MC4R is positioned and behaves within cells.
The team combined multiple experimental methods and perspectives to reveal physiological and pathophysiological insights.
This study can now play an important role in studies on appetite regulation, the scientists highlight.
Researcher Paolo Annibale summarizes. “This work was an exciting opportunity to apply various microscopy and bioimaging approaches in a physiologically relevant context. In recent years, we have refined this approach to meet the requirements of studying molecular processes in cells.”
