The essential roles of protein-protein interaction in sigma-1 receptor functions

Abstract

Sigma-1 receptor (σ-1R), an ER/MAM chaperone protein influences multiple functions of the cell via acting as an inter-organelle signaling molecule. Multiple lines of evidence demonstrate that σ-1R's mechanistic mode of action mainly involves protein-protein interaction with many of their cellular partners. This opinion article highlights the importance of a recent study performed by Kourrich et al. (2013) that reports the unexpected finding of a link between σ-1R's protein-protein interaction with voltage-gated K+ channel and a cocaine-induced alteration in the behavior of animals. The study from Kourrich et al. (2013) and several others exemplify the essential roles of protein-protein interaction in σ-1R functions. However, we are far from understanding the molecular details of σ-1R's association with their partners. Therefore, I attempted to summarize some of the questions that remain unclear; addressing them could elucidate the importance of protein-protein interaction in σ-1R's action during basal as well as abnormal conditions. © 2013 Pabba.