Membrane Orientation and Oligomerization of the Melanocortin Receptor Accessory Protein 2

ABSTRACT The melanocortin receptor accessory protein 2 (MRAP2) plays a pivotal role in the regulation of several G-protein coupled receptors (GPCR) that are essential for energy balance and food intake. MRAP2 loss-of-function results in obesity in mammals. MRAP2 and its homolog MRAP1 have an unusual membrane topology and are the only known eukaryotic proteins that thread into the membrane in both orientations. In this study, we demonstrate that the conserved polybasic motif that dictates the membrane topology and dimerization of MRAP1 does not control the membrane orientation and dimerization of MRAP2. We also show that MRAP2 dimerizes through its transmembrane domain and can form higher order oligomers that arrange MRAP2 monomers in a parallel orientation. Investigating the molecular details of MRAP2 structure is essential for understanding the mechanism by which it regulates GPCRs and will aid in elucidating the pathways involved in metabolic dysfunction.