[Relationship between the crystal lattice structure and the biological action of some agonists of amino acid receptors].

Abstract

The crystal structures of glycine, taurine, GABA, beta-alanine were compared. The quantity and the accuracy of distances coincidence between nitrogen and oxygen atoms were used as a criterion of similarity of the crystalline structures. The conclusion is made about a correlation between crystalline structure of agonists and their effect on amino acid receptors. It is assumed that in case of a cooperative effect of agonist on the receptor a mutual arrangement of molecules on the receptor surface is similar to their arrangement in the agonist crystal.