Structural Insights into Function of Ionotropic Glutamate Receptors

— Ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) mediate fast excitatory neurotransmission. They are implicated in nervous system development and function, while their dysfunction is associated with neurological and psychiatric disorders. In this review, we describe recent progress in structural studies of iGluRs and how crystal and cryo-EM structures helped determining the principles of iGluR architecture and assembly, and the mechanisms of activation, desensitization and regulation by auxiliary subunits, positive and negative allosteric modulators, and ion channel blockers. The new structural insights facilitate better understanding of iGluR physiological and pathophysiological roles in functioning of the central nervous system and provide valuable information for structure-based drug design.