Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) is a promising molecular target for developing drugs treating type 2 diabetes. We
have predicted the complete three-dimensional structure of GLP-1R and the binding modes of several GLP-1R agonists, including
GLP-1, Boc5, and Cpd1, through a combination of homology modeling, molecular docking, and long-time molecular dynamics simulation
on a lipid bilayer. Our model can reasonably interpret the results of a number of mutation experiments regarding GLP-1R as
well as the successful modification to GLP-1 by Liraglutide. Our model is also validated by a recently revealed crystal structure
of the extracellular domain of GLP-1R. An activation mechanism of GLP-1R agonists is proposed based on the principal component
analysis and normal mode analysis on our predicted GLP-1R structure. Before the complete structure of GLP-1R is determined
through experimental means, our model may serve as a valuable reference for characterizing the interactions between GLP-1R
and its agonists.
Figure Comparison of our predicted model of rGLP-1R (left) with the recently revealed crystal structure of hGLP-1R (right)
Keywords GLP-1R - GLP-1R agonist - Homology modeling - Molecular docking - Molecular dynamics