Molecular Dynamic Simulations Reveal That Water-Soluble QTY-Variants of Glutamate Transporters EAA1, EAA2 and EAA3 Retain the Conformational Characteristics of Native Transporters

Objective: Glutamate transporters play a crucial role in neurotransmitter homeostasis, but studying their structure and function is challenging due to their membrane-bound nature. This study aims to investigate whether water-soluble QTY-variants of glutamate transporters EAA1, EAA2 and EAA3 retain the conformational characteristics and dynamics of native membrane-bound transporters.

Methods: Molecular dynamics simulations and comparative genomics were used to analyze the structural dynamics of both native transporters and their QTY-variants. Native transporters were simulated in lipid bilayers, while QTY-variants were simulated in aqueous solution. Lipid distortions, relative solvent accessibilities, and conformational changes were examined. Evolutionary conservation profiles were correlated with structural dynamics. Statistical analyses included multivariate analysis to account for confounding variables.

Results: QTY-variants exhibited similar residue-wise conformational dynamics to their native counterparts, with correlation coefficients of 0.73 and 0.56 for EAA1 and EAA3, respectively (p < 0.001). Hydrophobic interactions of native helices correlated with water interactions of QTY- helices (rs = 0.4753, p < 0.001 for EAA1). QTY-variants underwent conformational changes resembling the outward-to-inward transition of native transporters.

Conclusions: Water-soluble QTY-variants retain key structural properties of native glutamate transporters and mimic aspects of native lipid interactions, including conformational flexibility. This research provides valuable insights into the conformational changes and molecular mechanisms of glutamate transport, potentially offering a new approach for studying membrane protein dynamics and drug interactions.