NAChRDB: A Web Resource of Structure-Function Annotations to Unravel the Allostery of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors

Abstract

Due to their paramount importance, near-ubiquitous presence, and complex nature, nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) have remained the focus of intensive research for over 50 years. The vast amount of knowledge accumulated on the topic has become extremely difficult to navigate. NAChRDB addresses this challenge by providing web-based, real-time access to curated residue-level functional annotations of neuromuscular nAChRs with interactive 3D visualization and sequence alignment. NAChRDB provides systematic access to experimental observations and predictions from computational studies reported in the literature or performed specifically to complement current knowledge, which allows new findings to be interpreted in a more holistic context, both from a structural and a functional perspective. NAChRDB aims to serve as an invaluable resource for identifying gaps in knowledge and for guiding discovery through structural and molecular biology experiments, especially when exploring the allosteric mechanisms underlying neuromuscular nAChR function and pathology. Availability and Implementation: NAChRDB is freely available online, with a self-explanatory interface and useful tool tips (https://crocodile.ncbr.muni.cz/Apps/NAChRDB/). No installation or user registration is required. NAChRDB content is stored in .json format, queried using Python, and rendered in browser using Javascript and WebGL (LiteMol). NAChRDB is highly responsive and accessible through any modern Internet browser on desktop and mobile devices.