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Prostaglandin E receptor EP4, a class A G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), is a common drug target in various disorders, such as acute decompensated heart failure and ulcerative colitis. Here, we report the cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of the EP4-heterotrimeric G protein (Gs) complex with the endogenous ligand at a global resolution of 3.3 Å. In this structure, compared with that in the inactive EP4 structure, the sixth transmembrane domain is shifted outward on the intracellular side, although the shift is smaller than that in other class A GPCRs bound to Gs. Instead, the C-terminal helix of Gs is inserted toward TM2 of EP4, and the conserved C-terminal hook structure formsthe extended state. These structural features are formed by the conserved residues in prostanoid receptors (Phe54 2.39 and Trp327 7.51 ). These findings may be important for the thorough understanding of the G protein-binding mechanism of EP4 and other prostanoid receptors., Competing Interests: Declaration of Interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Orexin peptides in the brain regulate physiological functions such as the sleep-wake cycle, and are thus drug targets for the treatment of insomnia. Using serial femtosecond crystallography and multi-crystal data collection with a synchrotron light source, we determined structures of human orexin 2 receptor in complex with the subtype-selective antagonist EMPA (N-ethyl-2-[(6-methoxy-pyridin-3-yl)-(toluene-2-sulfonyl)-amino]-N-pyridin-3-ylmethyl-acetamide) at 2.30-Å and 1.96-Å resolution. In comparison with the non-subtype-selective antagonist suvorexant, EMPA contacted fewer residues through hydrogen bonds at the orthosteric site, explaining the faster dissociation rate. Comparisons among these OX 2 R structures in complex with selective antagonists and previously determined OX 1 R/OX 2 R structures bound to non-selective antagonists revealed that the residue at positions 2.61 and 3.33 were critical for the antagonist selectivity in OX 2 R. The importance of these residues for binding selectivity to OX 2 R was also revealed by molecular dynamics simulation. These results should facilitate the development of antagonists for orexin receptors., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)