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Ion channels

Manipulating the munchies in mice

Nature Chemical Biology volume 7, pages 759–760 (2011)Cite this article

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Crystal structure and drug pharmacophore structure-activity data guided a combined mutagenesis and chemical screen to develop ligand-gated ion channels activated by unique chemical agonists. Through genetic engineering, these channels can be used to manipulate neuronal excitability and dissect the neuronal circuitry responsible for complex behaviors.

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Figure 1: Cys-loop receptor structure and engineered channel strategy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Myles H. Akabas is in the Departments of Physiology & Biophysics, Neuroscience and Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.,

    Myles H Akabas

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  1. Myles H Akabas
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Correspondence to Myles H Akabas.

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The author declares no competing financial interests.

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Akabas, M. Manipulating the munchies in mice. Nat Chem Biol 7, 759–760 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/nchembio.697

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