9QJS: Gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor subunit alpha-2

GABA-A receptor a2b3 (1:4) + a2NB16(silent) + b3Mb125 + GABA. Determined by electron microscopy at 2.52 Å resolution. Released 26 Aug 2026.

Method: Electron microscopy
Resolution: 2.52 Å
Organisms: Homo sapiens, Escherichia coli, Lama glama
Chains: 9
Atoms: 17,654
Mol. weight: 313.76 kDa
Ligands: NAG, ABU, HSM
Released: 26 Aug 2026

Explore 9QJS in 3D Show helices and sheets RCSB PDB PDBe

Secondary structure: helices and β-sheets

9QJS contains 73 α-helices and 111 β-strands across 9 chains. Residue ranges use author residue numbering, as in the PDB file, from PDBe. To see them in 3D, choose the Cartoon representation with Secondary structure coloring: helices, sheets and coils get different colors.

Chain A: 11 helices, 16 β-strands

Element	Residues	Length	Sheet
α-helix	11-21	11
β-strand	38-48	11	1
β-strand	49	1	2
β-strand	52-53	2	1
β-strand	58-70	13	1
α-helix	72-74	3
β-strand	82-85	4	1
α-helix	87-91	5
β-strand	98-100	3	3
β-strand	103	1	1
β-strand	107-108	2	1
β-strand	116-121	6	1
β-strand	125-137	13	1
β-strand	149-158	10	3
β-strand	166-170	5	1
α-helix	174-177	4
β-strand	178-180	3	1
β-strand	185	1	2
β-strand	190-204	15	3
β-strand	207-220	14	3
α-helix	223-225	3
α-helix	226-230	5
α-helix	231-240	10
α-helix	241-245	5
α-helix	251-275	25
α-helix	284-308	25
α-helix	314-411	29

Chain B: 14 helices, 13 β-strands

Element	Residues	Length	Sheet
α-helix	8-20	13
α-helix	35	1
β-strand	36-51	16	4
β-strand	56-68	13	4
α-helix	70-72	3
α-helix	80	1
β-strand	81-83	3	4
α-helix	85-90	6
β-strand	96-98	3	5
β-strand	101-106	6	4
β-strand	110	1	6
β-strand	114-118	5	4
β-strand	123-135	13	4
β-strand	147-156	10	5
β-strand	164-168	5	4
α-helix	171-174	4
β-strand	175-176	2	4
α-helix	178-180	3
β-strand	186-200	15	5
β-strand	203-216	14	5
α-helix	219-221	3
α-helix	222-226	5
α-helix	227-237	11
α-helix	238-240	3
α-helix	247-267	21
α-helix	280-306	27
α-helix	422-446	25

Chain C: 13 helices, 13 β-strands

Element	Residues	Length	Sheet
α-helix	9-20	12
α-helix	35	1
β-strand	36-51	16	7
β-strand	56-68	13	7
α-helix	70-72	3
β-strand	81-83	3	7
α-helix	85-90	6
β-strand	96-98	3	6
β-strand	101-106	6	7
β-strand	110	1	8
β-strand	114-118	5	7
β-strand	123-135	13	7
α-helix	140-142	3
β-strand	147-156	10	6
β-strand	164-168	5	7
α-helix	171-174	4
β-strand	175-176	2	7
α-helix	178-180	3
β-strand	186-200	15	6
β-strand	203-216	14	6
α-helix	219-221	3
α-helix	222-226	5
α-helix	227-241	15
α-helix	247-267	21
α-helix	280-306	27
α-helix	420-445	26

Chain D: 13 helices, 14 β-strands

Element	Residues	Length	Sheet
α-helix	8-20	13
α-helix	35	1
β-strand	36-46	11	9
β-strand	50-51	2	9
β-strand	56-68	13	9
α-helix	70-72	3
β-strand	81-83	3	9
α-helix	85-90	6
β-strand	96-98	3	8
β-strand	101-106	6	9
β-strand	110	1	10
β-strand	114-118	5	9
β-strand	123-135	13	9
α-helix	140-142	3
β-strand	147-156	10	8
β-strand	164-168	5	9
β-strand	175-176	2	9
α-helix	178-180	3
β-strand	186-200	15	8
β-strand	203-216	14	8
α-helix	221	1
α-helix	222-226	5
α-helix	227-237	11
α-helix	238-240	3
α-helix	247-268	22
α-helix	280-306	27
α-helix	421-446	26

Chain E: 11 helices, 13 β-strands

Element	Residues	Length	Sheet
α-helix	8-19	12
α-helix	35	1
β-strand	36-51	16	11
β-strand	56-68	13	11
α-helix	70-72	3
β-strand	82-83	2	11
α-helix	85-90	6
β-strand	96-98	3	10
β-strand	101-106	6	11
β-strand	110	1	3
β-strand	114-118	5	11
β-strand	123-135	13	11
β-strand	147-156	10	10
β-strand	164-168	5	11
β-strand	175-176	2	11
β-strand	186-200	15	10
β-strand	203-216	14	10
α-helix	219-221	3
α-helix	222-226	5
α-helix	227-236	10
α-helix	237-240	4
α-helix	247-269	23
α-helix	280-306	27
α-helix	421-446	26

Chain F: 3 helices, 12 β-strands

Element	Residues	Length	Sheet
β-strand	4-5	2	12
β-strand	11-13	3	13
β-strand	17-24	8	12
α-helix	29-31	3
β-strand	33-39	7	14
β-strand	46-51	6	14
β-strand	58-60	3	14
β-strand	68-73	6	12
β-strand	78-84	7	12
α-helix	88-90	3
β-strand	92-99	8	14
α-helix	108-110	3
β-strand	113-114	2	14
β-strand	118-120	3	14
β-strand	121-123	3	13

Chain G: 1 helix, 10 β-strands

Element	Residues	Length	Sheet
β-strand	2-7	6	15
β-strand	405-413	9	15
β-strand	420-426	7	16
β-strand	433-439	7	16
β-strand	445-447	3	16
β-strand	457-460	4	15
β-strand	465-470	6	15
β-strand	479-486	8	16
α-helix	496-498	3
β-strand	499-502	4	16
β-strand	506-508	3	16

Chain H: 4 helices, 10 β-strands

Element	Residues	Length	Sheet
β-strand	3-7	5	17
β-strand	406-412	7	17
α-helix	415-417	3
β-strand	420-426	7	18
β-strand	433-439	7	18
β-strand	445-447	3	18
α-helix	449-451	3
β-strand	455-460	6	17
β-strand	465-470	6	17
β-strand	479-486	8	18
α-helix	496-498	3
β-strand	499-502	4	18
α-helix	503-505	3
β-strand	506-508	3	18

1 more chain groups are not listed. Open the entry in the viewer and use the sequence panel to see them.

Molecules and chains

Molecule	Chains	Type	Length	Organism	UniProt
Gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor subunit alpha-2	A	protein	365	Homo sapiens	P47869 (AlphaFold model)
Gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor subunit beta-3,Soluble cytochrome b562	B, C, D, E	protein	451	Homo sapiens, Escherichia coli	P0ABE7 (AlphaFold model), P28472 (AlphaFold model)
a2NB16	F	protein	134	Lama glama
Mb125	G, H, I	protein	133	Lama glama

Sequence of entity 1 (A), FASTA

>9QJS_1 Gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor subunit alpha-2 (chains A)
NIQEDEAKNNITIFTRILDRLLDGYDNRLRPGLGDSITEVFTNIYVTSFGPVSDTDMEYT
IDVFFRQKWKDERLKFKGPMNILRLNNLMASKIWTPDTFFHNGKKSVAHNMTMPNKLLRI
QDDGTLLYTMRLTVQAECPMHLEDFPMDAHSCPLKFGSYAYTTSEVTYIWTYNASDSVQV
APDGSRLNQYDLLGQSIGKETIKSSTGEYTVMTAHFHLKRKIGYFVIQTYLPCIMTVILS
QVSFWLNRESVPARTVFGVTTVLTMTTLSISARNSLPKVAYATAMDWFIAVCYAFVFSAL
IEFATVNYFTKSQPARAAKIDRMSRIVFPVLFGTFNLVYWATYLNREPVLGVSPGTTETS
QVAPA

Sequence of entity 2 (B, C, D, E), FASTA

>9QJS_2 Gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor subunit beta-3,Soluble cytochrome b562 (chains B, C, D, E)
QSVNDPGNMSFVKETVDKLLKGYDIRLRPDFGGPPVCVGMNIDIASIDMVSEVNMDYTLT
MYFQQYWRDKRLAYSGIPLNLTLDNRVADQLWVPDTYFLNDKKSFVHGVTVKNRMIRLHP
DGTVLYGLRITTTAACMMDLRRYPLDEQNCTLEIESYGYTTDDIEFYWRGGDKAVTGVER
IELPQFSIVEHRLVSRNVVFATGAYPRLSLSFRLKRNIGYFILQTYMPSILITILSWVSF
WINYDASAARVALGITTVLTMTTINTHLRETLPKIPYVKAIDMYLMGCFVFVFLALLEYA
FVNYIFFSQPAGTADLEDNWETLNDNLKVIEKADNAAQVKDALTKMRAAALDAQKATPPK
LEDKSPDSPEMKDFRHGFDILVGQIDDALKLANEGKVKEAQAAAEQLKTTRNAYIQKYLT
GRAAAIDRWSRIVFPFTFSLFNLVYWLYYVN

Sequence of entity 3 (F), FASTA

>9QJS_3 a2NB16 (chains F)
QVQLVESGGGLVQAGGSLRLSCTASGRTFSSYGMGWFRQVPGKEREFVAAIAGNGGSTRS
ADSVKGRFTISRDNAKNMVFLQMDSLKPEDTAVYYCAASLSAYYSSYAREYNYWGQGTQV
TVSSHHHHHHEPEA

Sequence of entity 4 (G, H, I), FASTA

>9QJS_4 Mb125 (chains G, H, I)
QVQLVESGGGLVQGSLRLSCAASGHTFNYPIMGWFRQAPGKEREFVGAISWSGGSTSYAD
SVKDRFTISRDNAKNTVYLEMNNLKPEDTAVYYCAAKGRYSGGLYYPTNYDYWGQGTQVT
VSSHHHHHHEPEA

Ligands and cofactors

ID	Name	Formula	Copies
NAG	2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranose	C8 H15 N O6	2
ABU	Gamma-amino-butanoic acid	C4 H9 N O2	1
HSM	Histamine	C5 H9 N3	3

Primary citation

Determining the molecular and physiological actions of subtype-selective nanobodies of GABA A receptors. Gonzalez-Prada, J.E., Liu, S., Shang, C. et al. Sci Adv (2026) 12:eaeg3548-eaeg3548. DOI 10.1126/sciadv.aeg3548 · PubMed

Other PDB entries of the same protein (UniProt P47869 (AlphaFold model), which also has an AlphaFold model), best resolution first:

9QJX 2.7 Å, GABA-A receptor a2b3g2 + a2NB00(PAM) + GABA
9QJY 2.78 Å, GABA-A receptor a2b3g2 + a2NB04(silent) + GABA
9QJR 2.92 Å, GABA-A receptor a2b3 (1:4) + a2NB29(near-silent) + b3Mb125 + GABA
9QK0 3.01 Å, GABA-A receptor a2b3g2 + a2NB25(inhibitor)
9QK1 3.05 Å, GABA-A receptor a2b3 (1:4) + a2NB06(silent) + b3Mb125 + GABA
9CRV 3.18 Å, Native human GABAA receptor of beta2-alpha1-gamma2-beta2-alpha2 assembly
9CT0 3.19 Å, Native human GABAA receptor of beta2-alpha1-beta2-alpha2-gamma2 assembly
9CX7 3.3 Å, Native human GABAA receptor of beta3-alpha1-gamma2-beta3-alpha2 assembly
9CXC 3.3 Å, Native human GABAA receptor of beta3-alpha1-gamma2-beta2-alpha2 assembly
9CXB 3.33 Å, Native human GABAA receptor of beta2-alpha1-beta1-alpha2-gamma2 assembly
9CSB 3.34 Å, Native human GABAA receptor of beta3-alpha1-beta2-alpha2-gamma2 assembly
9CTV 3.36 Å, Native human GABAA receptor of beta2-alpha1-gamma2-beta1-alpha2 assembly

Browse structure collections

About this viewer

MolViewer shows 9QJS directly in your browser with nothing to install. Switch between cartoon, ball-and-stick, spacefill and surface views, color by chain, secondary structure or B-factor, measure distances, angles and dihedrals, and share or embed the view.