Nuclear Receptor Ligand-binding Domain Research Articles

Reconstitution of functional nuclear receptor proteins using high pressure refolding

Members of the nuclear receptor superfamily are ligand dependent transcription factors and many of the receptors are difficult to produce in their functional form. Here, we describe a method for obtaining functional nuclear receptor ligand binding domain proteins from bacterial expressed inclusion bodies by high hydrostatic pressure induced refolding. High pressure refolding successfully reconstituted activity from several insoluble nuclear receptor proteins and represents a valuable tool for both functional and structural investigation of proteins or fragments thereof that might otherwise remain insoluble.

The Nuclear Receptor Ligand-Binding Domain: A Family-Based Structure Analysis

Nuclear receptors (NRs) are ligand-dependent transcription factors that play a central role in various physiological processes. The pharmaceutical industry has great interest in this gene-family for the discovery of novel or improved drugs for treatment of, for example, cancer, infertility, or diabetes. The usage of three-dimensional coordinates of protein structures to analyse and predict interactions with ligands is an important aspect of this process. All NR ligand-binding domains have a similar fold, which allows for comparison of the structures of their three main functional sites: the ligand-binding pocket, the cofactor-binding groove, and the dimerization interface. We performed an analysis of nearly one hundred NR ligand-binding domain structures, and identified the functionally important residues. The combined knowledge about the shape of the binding sites and the residues involved in the binding is important for drug design in two ways. First, knowledge about the location of residues that interact with a ligand in all crystal structures or in certain subfamilies assists in the design and docking of drugs. Second, similarities and differences in the residue types of the most frequent ligand- and cofactor-binding residues provide insight about potential cross-reactivity of ligands or cofactors.

Rôle de RIP140 dans la signalisation hormonale

Nuclear hormone receptors belong to a superfamily of ligand-activated transcription factors which regulate fundamental physiological processes. Their activity is controlled by a large number of coregulatory proteins which are, in most cases, recruited by nuclear receptors in the presence of ligand. RIP140 (receptor interacting protein of 140 kDa) was one of the first transcription cofactors to be identified almost ten years ago. This molecule is an atypical cofactor which interacts with agonist-liganded nuclear receptors but negatively regulates their transactivation potential. RIP140 exhibits nine leucine-rich motifs (LxxLL) which mediate the specific docking on the nuclear receptor ligand-binding domain. Transcription repression exerted by this cofactor implicates different mechanisms. Not only it involves a competition with coactivators such as those belonging to the p160 family, but also relies on active intrinsic repression through at least four different domains which allow recruitement of downstream repressors such as histone deacetylases (HDACs) or C-terminal binding proteins (CtBPs). The biological role of RIP140 has been investigated by disrupting the gene in mice. The lack of RIP140 expression in ovaries prevents follicle rupture and ovulation, rising to female infertility. In addition, this cofactor is also required for the control of fat storage and utilization through the regulation of genes involved in thermogenesis. Finally, RIP140 could play a role in the hormonal control of cancer cell proliferation by negatively regulating the activity of estrogen and retinoic acid receptors which are key actors in cancer growth. Interestingly, both estrogens and retinoic acid regulate RIP140 gene expression, revealing an increased level of complexity. In conclusion, RIP140 is an atypical transcription inhibitor which, by repressing nuclear hormone receptor activity, plays fundamental physiopathological roles.

Biochemical and NMR Mapping of the Interface between CREB-binding Protein and Ligand Binding Domains of Nuclear Receptor: BEYOND THE LXXLL MOTIF

Biochemical and NMR Mapping of the Interface between CREB-binding Protein and Ligand Binding Domains of Nuclear Receptor: BEYOND THE LXXLL MOTIF

Conformational adaptation of nuclear receptor ligand binding domains to agonists: Potential for novel approaches to ligand design

Ligands occupy the core of nuclear receptor (NR) ligand binding domains (LBDs) and modulate NR function. X-ray structures of NR LBDs reveal most NR agonists fill the enclosed pocket and promote packing of C-terminal helix 12 (H12), whereas the pockets of unliganded NR LBDs differ. Here, we review evidence that NR pockets rearrange to accommodate different agonists. Some thyroid hormone receptor (TR) ligands with 5′ extensions designed to perturb H12 act as antagonists, but many are agonists. One mode of adaptation is seen in a TR/thyroxine complex; the pocket expands to accommodate a 5′ iodine extension. Crystals of other NR LBDs reveal that the pocket can expand or contract and some agonists do not fill the pocket. A TRβ structure in complex with an isoform selective drug (GC-24) reveals another mode of adaptation; the LBD hydrophobic interior opens to accommodate a bulky 3′ benzyl extension. We suggest that placement of extensions on NR agonists will highlight unexpected areas of flexibility within LBDs that could accommodate extensions; thereby enhancing the selectivity of agonist binding to particular NRs. Finally, agonists that induce similar LBD structures differ in their activities and we discuss strategies to reveal subtle structural differences responsible for these effects.

Identification of a Novel Co-regulator Interaction Surface on the Ligand Binding Domain of Nurr1 Using NMR Footprinting

The nuclear receptor Nurr1 is a transcription factor essential for the development of midbrain dopaminergic neurons in vertebrates. Recent crystal structures of the Nurr1 ligand binding domain (LBD) and the Drosophila orthologue dHR38 revealed that, although these receptors share the classical LBD architecture, they lack a ligand binding cavity. This volume is instead filled with bulky hydrophobic side chains. Furthermore the "canonical" non-polar co-regulator binding groove is filled with polar side chains; thus, the regulation of transcription by this sub-family of nuclear receptor LBDs may be mediated by some other interaction surface on the LBD. We report here the identification of a novel co-regulator interface on the LBD of Nurr1. We used an NMR footprinting strategy that facilitates the identification of an interaction surface without the need of a full assignment. We found that non-polar peptides derived from the co-repressors SMRT and NCoR bind to a hydrophobic patch on the LBD of Nurr1. This binding surface involves a groove between helices 11 and 12. Mutations in this site abolish activation by the Nurr1 LBD. These findings give insight into the unique mechanism of action of this class of nuclear receptors.

Structural Determinants of Allosteric Ligand Activation in RXR Heterodimers

Allosteric communication underlies ligand-dependent transcriptional responses mediated by nuclear receptors. While studies have elucidated many of the components involved in this process, the energetic architecture within the receptor protein that mediates allostery remains unknown. Using a sequence-based method designed to detect coevolution of amino acids in a protein, termed the statistical coupling analysis (SCA), we identify a network of energetically coupled residues that link the functional surfaces of nuclear receptor ligand binding domains. Functional analysis of these predicted residues demonstrates their participation in an allosteric network that governs the ability of heterodimeric receptors to activate transcription in response to ligand binding by either partner. Interestingly, mutation of a single network residue can discriminate between receptor activation by endocrine, dietary, and synthetic agonists. These results reveal a structural network required for RXR heterodimer allosteric communication and suggest that the specificity of ligand response and permissivity coevolved to enable signal discrimination.

Coregulator function: a key to understanding tissue specificity of selective receptor modulators.

Ligands for the nuclear receptor superfamily control many aspects of biology, including development, reproduction, and homeostasis, through regulation of the transcriptional activity of their cognate receptors. Selective receptor modulators (SRMs) are receptor ligands that exhibit agonistic or antagonistic biocharacter in a cell- and tissue context-dependent manner. The prototypical SRM is tamoxifen, which as a selective estrogen receptor modulator, can activate or inhibit estrogen receptor action. SRM-induced alterations in the conformation of the ligand-binding domains of nuclear receptors influence their abilities to interact with other proteins, such as coactivators and corepressors. It has been postulated, therefore, that the relative balance of coactivator and corepressor expression within a given target cell determines the relative agonist vs. antagonist activity of SRMs. However, recent evidence reveals that the cellular environment also plays a critical role in determining SRM biocharacter. Cellular signaling influences the activity and subcellular localization of coactivators and corepressors as well as nuclear receptors, and this contributes to gene-, cell-, and tissue-specific responses to SRM ligands. Increased understanding of the effect of cellular environment on nuclear receptors and their coregulators has the potential to open the field of SRM discovery and research to many members of the nuclear receptor superfamily.

Molecular sensors of estrogen receptor conformations and dynamics.

The ligand-induced conformation of a nuclear receptor ligand-binding domain (LBD) is a principal factor leading to transcriptional activity and determining the pharmacological response. Using the estrogen receptor (ER) LBD-labeled site specifically with a fluorophore, we demonstrate that effects of ligand binding on the conformation and dynamics of this domain can be studied directly, in a quantitative and convenient fashion, by various fluorescence methods. Estrogen ligands of different pharmacological character-agonists, selective ER modulators (SERMs), and pure antagonists-each produce distinctive spectroscopic signatures, characteristic of the conformational or dynamic features of their ER-LBD complexes. We can directly follow the equilibrium of helix 12 positions through the degree of local fluorophore rotational freedom and receptor helicity near the C terminus of helix 11. We observe differences even between ligands within a specific pharmacological class, such as the SERMs raloxifene and trans-4-hydroxytamoxifen, highlighting the ability of these fluorescent receptor sensors to detect unique ER conformations induced even by closely related ligands, yet ones that produce distinctive biological activities in estrogen target cells. Fluorophore-labeled LBDs can serve as versatile molecular sensors predictive of ligand pharmacological character and should be broadly applicable to other members of the nuclear receptor superfamily.

The AF-1 Domain of the Orphan Nuclear Receptor NOR-1 Mediates Trans-activation, Coactivator Recruitment, and Activation by the Purine Anti-metabolite 6-Mercaptopurine

NOR-1/NR4A3 is an "orphan member" of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily. NOR-1 and its close relatives Nurr1 and Nur77 are members of the NR4A subgroup of nuclear receptors. Members of the NR4A subgroup are induced through multiple signal transduction pathways. They have been implicated in cell proliferation, differentiation, T-cell apoptosis, chondrosarcomas, neurological disorders, inflammation, and atherogenesis. However, the mechanism of transcriptional activation, coactivator recruitment, and agonist-mediated activation remain obscure. Hence, we examined the molecular basis of NOR-1-mediated activation. We observed that NOR-1 trans-activates gene expression in a cell- and target-specific manner; moreover, it operates in an activation function (AF)-1-dependent manner. The N-terminal AF-1 domain delimited to between amino acids 1 and 112, preferentially recruits the steroid receptor coactivator (SRC). Furthermore, SRC-2 modulates the activity of the AF-1 domain but not the C-terminal ligand binding domain (LBD). Homology modeling indicated that the NOR-1 LBD was substantially different from that of hRORbeta, a closely related AF-2-dependent receptor. In particular, the hydrophobic cleft characteristic of nuclear receptors was replaced with a very hydrophilic surface with a distinct topology. This observation may account for the inability of this nuclear receptor LBD to efficiently mediate cofactor recruitment and transcriptional activation. In contrast, the N-terminal AF-1 is necessary for cofactor recruitment and can independently conscript coactivators. Finally, we demonstrate that the purine anti-metabolite 6-mercaptopurine, a widely used antineoplastic and anti-inflammatory drug, activates NOR-1 in an AF-1-dependent manner. Additional 6-mercaptopurine analogs all efficiently activated NOR-1, suggesting that the signaling pathways that modulate proliferation via inhibition of de novo purine and/or nucleic acid biosynthesis are involved in the regulation NR4A activity. We hypothesize that the NR4A subgroup mediates the genotoxic stress response and suggest that this subgroup may function as sensors that respond to genotoxicity.

An Extended LXXLL Motif Sequence Determines the Nuclear Receptor Binding Specificity of TRAP220

The interaction of coactivators with the ligand-binding domain of nuclear receptors (NRs) is mediated by amphipathic alpha-helices containing the signature motif LXXLL. TRAP220 contains two LXXLL motifs (LXM1 and LXM2) that are required for its interaction with NRs. Here we show that the nuclear receptor interaction domain (NID) of TRAP220 interacts weakly with Class I NRs. In contrast, SRC1 NID binds strongly to both Class I and Class II NRs. Interaction assays using nine amino acid LXXLL core motifs derived from SRC1 and TRAP220 revealed no discriminatory NR binding preferences. However, an extended LXM1 sequence containing amino acids -4 to +9, (where the first conserved leucine is +1) showed selective binding to thyroid hormone receptor and reduced binding to estrogen receptor. Replacement of either TRAP220 LXXLL motif with the corresponding 13 amino acids of SRC1 LXM2 strongly enhanced the interaction of the TRAP220 NID with the estrogen receptor. Mutational analysis revealed combinatorial effects of the LXM1 core and flanking sequences in the determination of the NR binding specificity of the TRAP220 NID. In contrast, a mutation that increased the spacing between TRAP220 LXM1 and LXM2 had little effect on the binding properties of this domain. Thus, a 13-amino acid sequence comprising an extended LXXLL motif acts as the key determinant of the NR binding specificity of TRAP220. Finally, we show that the NR binding specificity of full-length TRAP220 can be altered by swapping extended LXM sequences.

The Activation Function-1 Domain of Nur77/NR4A1 Mediates Trans-activation, Cell Specificity, and Coactivator Recruitment

Nur77/NR4A1 is an "orphan member" of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily. Nur77 and its close relatives Nurr1 and NOR-1 bind as monomers to a consensus binding site, the nerve growth factor induced protein I-B (NGFI-B)-binding response element (NBRE). The Nur77/NURR1/NOR1 nuclear receptors are classified as immediate early response genes which are induced through multiple signal transduction pathways. They have been implicated in cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. However, the mechanism of coactivation and ligand independent trans-activation remains unclear. Hence we examined the molecular basis of Nur77-mediated cofactor recruitment and activation. We observed that Nur77 trans-activates gene expression in a cell-specific manner, and operates in an activation function-1 (AF-1)-dependent manner. The AB region encodes an uncommonly potent N-terminal AF-1 domain delimited to between amino acids 50 and 160 and is essential for the ligand-independent activation of gene expression. Steroid receptor coactivator-2 (SRC-2) modulates the activity of the N-terminal AF-1 domain. Moreover, SRC-2 dramatically potentiates the retinoid induced RXR-dependent activation of the Nur77 ligand binding domain (LBD). Interestingly, the N-terminal AB region (not the LBD) facilitates coactivator recruitment and directly interacts with SRC, p300, PCAF, and DRIP-205. Consistent with this, homology modeling indicated that the Nur77 LBD coactivator binding cleft was substantially different from that of retinoic acid receptor gamma, a closely related AF-2-dependent receptor. In particular, the hydrophobic cleft characteristic of nuclear receptors was replaced with a much more hydrophilic surface with a distinct topology. This observation accounts for the inability of this nuclear receptor LBD to directly mediate cofactor recruitment. Furthermore, the AF-1 domain physically associates with the Nur77 C-terminal LBD and synergizes with the retinoid X receptor LBD. Thus, the AF-1 domain plays a major role in Nur77-mediated transcriptional activation, cofactor recruitment, and intra- and intermolecular interactions.

Interaction of PIMT with Transcriptional Coactivators CBP, p300, and PBP Differential Role in Transcriptional Regulation

PIMT (PRIP-interacting protein with methyltransferase domain), an RNA-binding protein with a methyltransferase domain capable of binding S-adenosylmethionine, has been shown previously to interact with nuclear receptor coactivator PRIP (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-interacting protein) and enhance its coactivator function. We now report that PIMT strongly interacts with transcriptional coactivators, CBP, p300, and PBP but not with SRC-1 and PGC-1alpha under in vitro and in vivo conditions. The PIMT binding sites on CBP and p300 are located in the cysteine-histidine-rich C/H1 and C/H3 domains, and the PIMT binding site on PBP is in the region encompassing amino acids 1101-1560. The N-terminal of PIMT (residues 1-369) containing the RNA binding domain interacts with both C/H1 and C/H3 domains of CBP and p300 and with the C-terminal portion of PBP that encompasses amino acids 1371-1560. The C-terminal of PIMT (residues 611-852), which binds S-adenosyl-l-methionine, interacts respectively with the C/H3 domain of CBP/p300 and with a region encompassing amino acids 1101-1370 of PBP. Immunoprecipitation data showed that PIMT forms a complex in vivo with CBP, p300, PBP, and PRIP. PIMT appeared to be co-localized in the nucleus with CBP, p300, and PBP. PIMT enhanced PBP-mediated transcriptional activity of the PPARgamma, as it did for PRIP, indicating synergism between PIMT and PBP. In contrast, PIMT functioned as a repressor of CBP/p300-mediated transactivation of PPARgamma. Based on these observations, we suggest that PIMT bridges the CBP/p300-anchored coactivator complex with the PBP-anchored coactivator complex but differentially modulates coactivator function such that inhibition of the CBP/p300 effect may be designed to enhance the activity of PBP and PRIP.

Quantitative structure–activity relationships for inducers of cytochromes P450 and nuclear receptor ligands involved in P450 regulation within the CYP1, CYP2, CYP3 and CYP4 families

The results of quantitative structure–activity relationships (QSARs) are reported for several series of cytochrome P450 inducers, including those which also act as ligands for the various nuclear receptors involved in regulation of the relevant P450 genes, namely, CYP1, CYP2, CYP3 and CYP4. In several examples presented, the QSARs are consistent with homology modelling studies of the nuclear receptor ligand-binding domains (LBDs) based on available crystal structures of the oestrogen and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors’ LBDs. Good correlations ( R=0.91–0.99) are found between various structural parameters and biological activity (either in the form of P450 induction or ligand-binding affinity) for the Ah receptor (AhR), human estrogen receptor α (hERα), human glucocorticoid receptor (hGR) and the rat peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (rPPARα).

Critical role of helix 12 of the vitamin D3 receptor for the partial agonism of carboxylic ester antagonists

The carboxy-terminal α-helix of a nuclear receptor ligand-binding domain (LBD), helix 12, contains a critical, ligand-modulated interface for the interaction with coactivator proteins. In this study, using the example of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) and the partial antagonist ZK159222, the role of helix 12 (residues 417-427) for both antagonistic and agonistic receptor actions was investigated. Amino acid residue G423 was demonstrated to be critical for partial agonism of ZK159222, but not for the activity of the natural VDR agonist, 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1α,25(OH)2D3). The amount of partial agonism of ZK159222 increased when helix 12 was truncated by the last four amino acid residues (Δ424-27) and augmented even more, when in addition helix 12 of VDR’s dimerization partner, retinoid X receptor (RXR), was truncated. In contrast, the low agonism of a structural derivative of ZK159222, ZK168281, was not affected comparably, whereas other close structural relatives of ZK159222 even demonstrated the same agonistic activity as that of 1α,25(OH)2D3. The amount of agonism of ZK159222 and ZK168281 at different variations of helix 12 correlated well with VDR’s ability to complex with coactivator proteins and inversely correlated with the strength of the compound’s antagonistic action on 1α,25(OH)2D3 signalling. Molecular dynamics simulations of the LBD complexed with the two antagonists could explain their different action by demonstrating a more drastic displacement of helix 12 through ZK168281 than through ZK159222. Moreover, the modelling could indicate a kink of helix 12 at amino acid residue G423, which provides the last four amino acid residues of helix 12 with a modulatory role for the partial agonism of some VDR antagonists, such as ZK159222. In conclusion, partial agonism of a VDR antagonist is lower the more it disturbs helix 12 in taking the optimal position for coactivator interaction.

Different ligands-different receptor conformations: modeling of the hER alpha LBD in complex with agonists and antagonists.

The aim of this study is to compare crystal structures of nuclear receptor ligand binding domains in complex with different agonists and partial agonists to achieve a better understanding of the three-dimensional structures and their ligand-induced conformational changes. This led to the identification of structurally conserved "rigid" regions and more flexible parts of the proteins. The analysis was found to be of great value in fitting selected non-steroidal compounds into the human estrogen receptor alpha (hER alpha) ligand binding pocket. The experimentally determined binding affinities for a number of 2-aryl indoles and 2-aryl indenones are in good agreement with the subsequently modeled binding interactions. To date, no crystal structure is published for a complex with a pure antagonist. We therefore used the available structural information on complexes with partial agonists and the crystal structure of a mutant protein in complex with estradiol displaying a similar conformation to predict binding interactions for antagonists. The results are discussed in detail.

Core LXXLL Motif Sequences in CREB-binding Protein, SRC1, and RIP140 Define Affinity and Selectivity for Steroid and Retinoid Receptors

An alpha-helical motif containing the sequence LXXLL is required for the ligand-dependent binding of transcriptional co-activators to nuclear receptors. By using a peptide inhibition assay, we have defined the minimal "core" LXXLL motif as an 8-amino acid sequence spanning positions -2 to +6 relative to the primary conserved leucine residue. In yeast two-hybrid assays, core LXXLL motif sequences derived from steroid receptor co-activator (SRC1), the 140-kDa receptor interacting protein (RIP140), and CREB-binding protein (CBP) displayed differences in selectivity and affinity for nuclear receptor ligand binding domains. Although core LXXLL motifs from SRC1 and RIP140 mediated strong interactions with steroid and retinoid receptors, three LXXLL motifs present in the global co-activator CBP were found to have very weak affinity for these proteins. Core motifs with high affinity for steroid and retinoid receptors were generally found to contain a hydrophobic residue at position -1 relative to the first conserved leucine and a nonhydrophobic residue at position +2. Our results indicate that variant residues in LXXLL core motifs influence the affinity and selectivity of co-activators for nuclear receptors.

Can correlated mutations in protein domain families be used for protein design?

Evidence from diverse studies, such as protein design experiments and analysis of the emergence of drug resistance in human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1), indicates that protein function can be diminished or altered by mutations at positions distant from the classic 'functional' site. Furthermore, results from correlation analysis of the ligand-binding domain of nuclear receptors suggest that mutation events at positions distributed throughout a protein domain may be involved in functional diversification during the evolution of homologous domain families. This review explores potential applications for a protein design procedure based on correlated substitutions.

Molecular modeling, affinity labeling, and site-directed mutagenesis define the key points of interaction between the ligand-binding domain of the vitamin D nuclear receptor and 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3.

We have combined molecular modeling and classical structure-function techniques to define the interactions between the ligand-binding domain (LBD) of the vitamin D nuclear receptor (VDR) and its natural ligand, 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) [1alpha,25-(OH)(2)D(3)]. The affinity analogue 1alpha,25-(OH)(2)D(3)-3-bromoacetate exclusively labeled Cys-288 in the VDR-LBD. Mutation of C288 to glycine abolished this affinity labeling, whereas the VDR-LBD mutants C337G and C369G (other conserved cysteines in the VDR-LBD) were labeled similarly to the wild-type protein. These results revealed that the A-ring 3-OH group docks next to C288 in the binding pocket. We further mutated M284 and W286 (separately creating M284A, M284S, W286A, and W286F) and caused severe loss of ligand binding, indicating the crucial role played by the contiguous segment between M284 and C288. Alignment of the VDR-LBD sequence with the sequences of nuclear receptor LBDs of known 3-D structure positioned M284 and W286 in the presumed beta-hairpin of the molecule, thereby identifying it as the region contacting the A-ring of 1alpha, 25-(OH)(2)D(3). From the multiple sequence alignment, we developed a homologous extension model of the VDR-LBD. The model has a canonical nuclear receptor fold with helices H1-H12 and a single beta hairpin but lacks the long insert (residues 161-221) between H2 and H3. We docked the alpha-conformation of the A-ring into the binding pocket first so as to incorporate the above-noted interacting residues. The model predicts hydrogen bonding contacts between ligand and protein at S237 and D299 as well as at the site of the natural mutation R274L. Mutation of S237 or D299 to alanine largely abolished ligand binding, whereas changing K302, a nonligand-contacting residue, to alanine left binding unaffected. In the "activation" helix 12, the model places V418 closest to the ligand, and, consistent with this prediction, the mutation V418S abolished ligand binding. The studies together have enabled us to identify 1alpha,25-(OH)(2)D(3)-binding motifs in the ligand-binding pocket of VDR.

Dynamic Stabilization of Nuclear Receptor Ligand Binding Domains by Hormone or Corepressor Binding

We have developed a novel assembly assay to examine structural changes in the ligand binding domain (LBD) of the thyroid hormone receptor (TR). Fragments including the first helix of the TR LBD interact only weakly with the remainder of the LBD in the absence of hormone, but this interaction is strongly enhanced by the addition of either hormone or the corepressor NCoR. Since neither the ligand nor the corepressor shows direct interaction with this helix, we propose that both exert their effects by stabilizing the overall structure of the LBD. Current models of activation of nuclear hormone receptors focus on a ligand-induced allosteric shift in the position of the C-terminal helix 12 that generates the coactivator binding site. Our results suggest that ligand binding also has more global effects that dynamically alter the structure of the receptor LBD.