Structural insights into the complex interplay between latrotoxin and the cell adhesion receptors neurexin and latrophilin (A15*)

• Subject Area: Structural Biology
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 386797833

The cell adhesion GPCR latrophilin 1 (LPHN1) and neurexins (NRXNs) were discovered as α-latrotoxin (α-LTX) receptors. Both receptors interact with high affinity and presumably form an intercellular adhesion complex. Interaction of the toxin with these receptors induces a conformational change and the insertion of the toxin into the presynaptic membrane, which forms a cation-selective pore that subsequently leads to the degeneration of the synapse. We aim to gain mechanistic insights into the interplay between NRXN, LPHN1 and LTX through structural analyses.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1348: Dynamic cellular interfaces: formation and function
• Applicant Institution: Universität Münster
• Project Head: Professor Dr. Christos Gatsogiannis