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TY - JOUR AU - Unwin, Nigel PY - 1995 DA - 1995/01/01 TI - Acetylcholine receptor channel imaged in the open state JO - Nature SP - 37 EP - 43 VL - 373 IS - 6509 AB - The structure of the open-channel form of the acetylcholine receptor has been determined from electron images of Torpedo ray postsynaptic membranes activated by brief (<5ms) mixing with droplets containing acetylcholine. Comparison with the closed-channel form shows that acetylcholine initiates small rotations of the subunits in the extracellular domain, which trigger a change in configuration of α-helices lining the membrane-spanning pore. The open pore tapers towards the intracellular membrane face, where it is shaped by a 'barrel' of α-helices having a pronounced right-handed twist. SN - 1476-4687 UR - https://doi.org/10.1038/373037a0 DO - 10.1038/373037a0 ID - Unwin1995 ER -