Beyond Rhodopsin: G Protein-Coupled Receptor Structure and Modeling Incorporating the 2-adrenergic and Adenosine A2A Crystal Structures

For quite some time, the majority of GPCR models have been based on a single template structure: dark-adapted bovine rhodopsin. The recent solution of β2AR, β1AR and adenosine A_2A receptor crystal structures has dramatically expanded the GPCR structural landscape and provided many new insights into receptor conformation and ligand binding. They will serve as templates for the next generation of GPCR models, but also allow direct validation of previous models and computational techniques. This review summarizes key findings from the new structures, comparison of existing models to these structures and highlights new models constructed from these templates.