Mapping the Interaction Sites between AMPA Receptors and TARPs Reveals a Role for the Receptor N-Terminal Domain in Channel Gating

AMPA-type glutamate receptors (AMPARs) mediate fast neurotransmission at excitatory synapses. The extent and fidelity of postsynaptic depolarization triggered by AMPAR activation are shaped by AMPAR auxiliary subunits, including the transmembrane AMPAR regulatory proteins (TARPs). TARPs profoundly influence gating, an effect thought to be mediated by an interaction with the AMPAR ion channel and ligand binding domain (LBD). Here, we show that the distal N-terminal domain (NTD) contributes to TARP modulation. Alterations in the NTD-LBD linker result in TARP-dependent and TARP-selective changes in AMPAR gating. Using peptide arrays, we identify a TARP interaction region on the NTD and define the path of TARP contacts along the LBD surface. Moreover, we map key binding sites on the TARP itself and show that mutation of these residues mediates gating modulation. Our data reveal a TARP-dependent allosteric role for the AMPAR NTD and suggest that TARP binding triggers a drastic reorganization of the AMPAR complex. [Display omitted] •The NTD linker has a TARP-dependent and TARP-specific impact on AMPAR gating•Peptide arrays reveal binding of TARPs to both extracellular domains of AMPARs•A structural reorganization of AMPARs is triggered by TARP binding Gating properties of synaptic AMPA-type glutamate receptors (AMPARs) are modulated by the transmembrane AMPAR regulatory proteins (TARPs), yet knowledge about their binding on a molecular level is limited. Here, Cais et al. map this interaction on both partner molecules and reveal a functional role for the receptor N-terminal domain.