Dr Nigel Unwin University positionEmeritus Scientist, LMB InstitutesMedical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology Home pagehttp://www2.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/groups/nu/ (personal home page) Research ThemeInterestsI am interested in finding out how ion channels work, using electron microscopy to analyse their structures trapped in different physiological states. Current research focuses on the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, the transmitter-gated ion channel at the nerve-muscle synapse. Images of isolated Torpedo postsynaptic membranes have now yielded a refined atomic model of this channel at 4Å resolution. Freeze-trapping combined with imaging experiments are providing a mechanistic picture of how binding of acetylcholine opens the channel in near-atomic detail.  Looking down the ion pathway of an ACh receptor, viewed from the synaptic cleft. View image full-size (1512x1444 pixels) Research Focus
EquipmentElectron microscopy FPLC/HPLC CollaboratorsNo collaborators listed Associated News ItemsKey publicationsUnwin N, Fujiyoshi Y (2012), “Gating movement of acetylcholine receptor caught by plunge-freezing.” J Mol Biol 422(5):617-34 Details O'Brien J, Unwin N (2006), “Organization of spines on the dendrites of Purkinje cells” Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 103:1575-1580 Details Publications2013Unwin N (2013), “Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and the structural basis of neuromuscular transmission: insights from Torpedo postsynaptic membranes.” Q Rev Biophys 46(4):283-322 Details Zuber B, Unwin N (2013), “Structure and superorganization of acetylcholine receptor-rapsyn complexes.” Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 110(26):10622-7 Details 2011Fisher LS, Ward A, Milligan RA, Unwin N, Potter CS, Carragher B (2011), “A helical processing pipeline for EM structure determination of membrane proteins.” Methods 55(4):350-62 Details 2005Unwin N (2005), “Refined structure of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor at 4A resolution.” J Mol Biol 346(4):967-89 Details 2003Miyazawa A, Fujiyoshi Y, Unwin N (2003), “Structure and gating mechanism of the acetylcholine receptor pore.” Nature 423(6943):949-55 Details Unwin N (2003), “Structure and action of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor explored by electron microscopy.” FEBS Lett 555(1):91-5 Details 2002Unwin N (2002), “Structure of the acetylcholine-gated channel.” Novartis Found Symp 245:5-15; discussion 15-21, 165-8 Details Unwin N, Miyazawa A, Li J, Fujiyoshi Y (2002), “Activation of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor involves a switch in conformation of the alpha subunits.” J Mol Biol 319(5):1165-76 Details 2000Tierney ML, Unwin N (2000), “Electron microscopic evidence for the assembly of soluble pentameric extracellular domains of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor.” J Mol Biol 303(2):185-96 Details Unwin N (2000), “The Croonian Lecture 2000. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and the structural basis of fast synaptic transmission.” Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 355(1404):1813-29 Details |
