A two-site flexible clamp mechanism for RET-GDNF-GFRα1 assembly reveals both conformational adaptation and strict geometric spacing

RET receptor tyrosine kinase plays vital developmental and neuroprotective roles in metazoans. G DNF family ligands (GFLs) when bound to cognate GFRα co-receptors recognise and activate RET stimulating its cytoplasmic kinase function. The principles for RET ligand-co-receptor recognition are incompletely understood. Here we report a crystal structure of the cadherin-like module (CLD1-4) from zebrafish RET revealing interdomain flexibility between CLD2-CLD3. Comparison with a cryo-EM structure of a ligand-engaged zebrafish RET ECD -GDNF-GFRα1 complex indicates conformational changes within a clade-specific CLD3 loop adjacent to co-receptor. Our observations indicate RET is a molecular clamp with a flexible calcium-dependent arm that adapts to different GFRα co-receptors, while its rigid arm recognises a GFL dimer to align both membrane-proximal cysteine-rich domains. We also visualise linear arrays of RET ECD -GDNF-GFRα1 suggesting a conserved contact stabilises higher-order species. Our study reveals ligand-co-receptor recognition by RET involves both receptor plasticity and strict spacing of receptor dimers by GFL ligands. Highlights Crystal structure of zebrafish RET cadherin-like module reveals conformational flexibility at the calcium-dependent CLD2-CLD3 interface Comparison of X-ray and cryo-EM structures indicate conformational differences between unliganded and liganded RET involving a clade-specific CLD3 loop Strict spatial separation of RET ECD C-termini is imposed by each cysteine-rich domain interaction with GFL dimer Differences in co-receptor engagement and higher-order ligand-bound RET complexes indicate potentially divergent signalling mechanisms