Advanced Image of A2aAR Protein Could Lead to Better Drug Design Methods

A Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) team reports that it has found structural features in a key protein used in drug design that may lead to new ways to target diseases. The A2A adenosine receptor (A2aAR) belongs to the G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family, which is the target of roughly 40 percent of all approved pharmaceuticals. The new, more detailed image of A2aAR's signaling mechanism reveals critical parts of its inner system, including an amino acid that acts like a "toggle switc