□ Professor Ka Young CHUNG’s research team (Lead author: Nguyen Minh Duc, Former PhD. student) from School of Pharmacy elucidated the mechanism of G protein activation by GPCR in collaboration with the 2012 Nobel laureate Professor Brian Kobilka’s research team.

□ The research has been published in the world renowned journal, “Cell” on May 9th.

※ Journal title : Assmbly of a GPCR-G Protein Complex

※ Main authors : Ka Young Chung (Correspondence, SKKU), Brian K. Kobilka (Correspondence, Stanford University), David Lodowski (Correspondence, Case Western Reserave University), Nguyen Mihn Duc (Lead author, SKKU), Yang Du (Lead author, Stanford University), Soren GF Rasmussen (Lead author, Copenhagen University)

□ G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) act as the gatekeeper of cell by accepting and transmitting extracellular signals such as hormones and medicines inside the cells. Approximately 40% of marketed drugs target GPCRs, and their importance in normal physiology and pathology was recognized by two scientists (Drs. Kobilka and Lefkowitz), who were awarded with Nobel Prize of Chemistry in 2012.

□ The research teams studied the time-resolved structural mechanism of G protein activation by GPCRs. The results suggested that the GPCR-G protein complex structure (2012 Nobel Prize winning topic) occurs as a later event during GPCR-mediated G protein activation, even after GDP release. Therefore, the research group suggested that precise understanding of the early event during GPCR-mediated G protein activation is more appropriate for better understanding of the cellular procedure and development of drugs.

□ This research was supported by Ministry of Science and ICT-National Research Foundation of Korea.