Constitutive activation of the beta2 adrenergic receptor alters the orientation of its sixth membrane-spanning segment

The binding site of the beta2 adrenergic receptor, like that of other homologous G-protein-coupled receptors, is contained within a water-accessible crevice formed among its seven membrane-spanning segments. Methanethiosulfonate ethylammonium (MTSEA), a charged, hydrophilic, lipophobic, sulfhydryl-specific reagent, had no effect on the binding of agonist or antagonist to wild-type beta2 receptor expressed in HEK 293 cells. This suggested that no endogenous cysteines are accessible in the binding site crevice. In contrast, in a constitutively active beta2 receptor, MTSEA significantly inhibited antagonist binding, and isoproterenol slowed the rate of reaction of MTSEA. This implies that at least one endogenous cysteine becomes accessible in the binding site crevice of the constitutively active beta2 receptor. Cys-285, in the sixth membrane-spanning segment, is responsible for the inhibitory effect of MTSEA on ligand binding to the constitutively active mutant. The acquired accessibility of Cys-285 in the constitutively active mutant may result from a rotation and/or tilting of the sixth membrane-spanning segment associated with activation of the receptor. This rearrangement could bring Cys-285 to the margin of the binding site crevice where it becomes accessible to MTSEA.