A structural basis for amylin receptor phenotype

Amylin receptors (AMYRs) are heterodimers of the calcitonin (CT) receptor (CTR) and one of three receptor activity–modifying proteins (RAMPs), AMY 1 R, AMY 2 R, and AMY 3 R. Selective AMYR agonists and dual AMYR/CTR agonists are being developed as obesity treatments; however, the molecular basis for peptide binding and selectivity is unknown. We determined the structure and dynamics of active AMYRs with amylin, AMY 1 R with salmon CT (sCT), AMY 2 R with sCT or human CT (hCT), and CTR with amylin, sCT, or hCT. The conformation of amylin-bound complexes was similar for all AMYRs, constrained by the RAMP, and an ordered midpeptide motif that we call the bypass motif. The CT-bound AMYR complexes were distinct, overlapping the CT-bound CTR complexes. Our findings indicate that activation of AMYRs by CT-based peptides is distinct from their activation by amylin-based peptides. This has important implications for the development of AMYR therapeutics.