transmembrane domain of glutamate gated chloride channel (GluCl)
This family contains transmembrane (TM) domain of the glutamate-gated chloride channel (GluCl) found only in protostomia but are closely related to mammalian glycine receptors. The transmembrane region consists of four transmembrane-spanning alpha-helical segments (M1-M4) that are linked by loops. The intracellular loop that links M1 and M2 determines the ion selectivity of the channel. These GluCl channels have several roles in these invertebrates, including controlling locomotion and feeding, and mediating sensory inputs into behavior. Comparison of the GluCl gene families between organisms shows that insect gene family is relatively simple, while that found in nematodes tends to be larger and more diverse. Glutamate is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that shapes the responses of projection neurons to olfactory stimuli in the Drosophila. GluCls are targeted by the macrocyclic lactone family of anthelmintics and pesticides in arthropods and nematodes, thus making the GluCls of considerable medical and economic importance. In Drosophila melanogaster, GluCl mediates sensitivity to the antiparasitic agents ivermectin and nodulisporic acid, suggesting that their drug target is the same throughout the Ecdysozoa.
Structure:3RHW: Caenorhabditis elegans glutamate-gated chloride channel (GluCl) transmembrane domain interacts with adjacent domains, and forms a homopentamer; contacts at 4.0A
Jiyao W et al.(2023). "The conserved domain database in 2023.",