FRET-Based Sensors Unravel Activation and Allosteric Modulation of the GABA Receptor.

The main inhibitory neurotransmitter, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), modulates many synapses by activating the G protein-coupled receptor GABA, which is a target for various therapeutic applications. It is an obligatory heterodimer made of GB1 and GB2 that can be regulated by positive allosteric modulators (PAMs). The molecular mechanism of activation of the GABA receptor remains poorly understood. Here, we have developed FRET-based conformational GABA sensors compatible with high-throughput screening. We identified conformational changes occurring within the extracellular and transmembrane domains upon receptor activation, which are smaller than those observed in the related metabotropic glutamate receptors. These sensors also allow discrimination between agonists of different efficacies and between PAMs that have different modes of action, which has not always been possible using conventional functional assays. Our study brings important new information on the activation mechanism of the GABA receptor and should facilitate the screening and identification of new chemicals targeting this receptor.