9RL5: A5b3 GABAAR

a5b3 GABAAR bound to Topiramate, GABA, and Mb25 in a desensitized state in saposin nanodiscs. Determined by electron microscopy at 3.1 Å resolution. Released 18 Mar 2026.

Method: Electron microscopy
Resolution: 3.1 Å
Organisms: Aequorea victoria, Homo sapiens, Escherichia coli
Chains: 6
Atoms: 15,218
Mol. weight: 431.67 kDa
Ligands: NAG, TOR, ABU
Released: 18 Mar 2026

Explore 9RL5 in 3D Show helices and sheets RCSB PDB PDBe

Secondary structure: helices and β-sheets

9RL5 contains 70 α-helices and 74 β-strands across 6 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: 12 helices, 15 β-strands

Element	Residues	Length	Sheet
α-helix	13-25	13
β-strand	41-56	16	1
β-strand	61-73	13	1
α-helix	75-77	3
β-strand	85-86	2	1
α-helix	90-94	5
β-strand	102-103	2	2
β-strand	106-111	6	1
β-strand	113	1	3
β-strand	117	1	3
β-strand	119-124	6	1
β-strand	128-140	13	1
α-helix	148-150	3
β-strand	152-160	9	2
β-strand	169-173	5	1
α-helix	177-180	4
β-strand	182-183	2	1
β-strand	188	1	1
β-strand	193-207	15	2
β-strand	210-223	14	2
α-helix	226-228	3
α-helix	229-233	5
α-helix	234-244	11
α-helix	245-248	4
α-helix	254-275	22
α-helix	287-313	27
α-helix	324-349	26

Chain B: 15 helices, 12 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
β-strand	82-83	2	4
α-helix	85-90	6
β-strand	96-98	3	5
β-strand	101-106	6	4
β-strand	114-118	5	4
β-strand	123-135	13	4
α-helix	140-142	3
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	227-234	8
α-helix	235-240	6
α-helix	247-268	22
α-helix	269-271	3
α-helix	280-307	28
α-helix	550-581	32

Chain C: 14 helices, 12 β-strands

Element	Residues	Length	Sheet
α-helix	9-20	12
α-helix	35	1
β-strand	36-51	16	6
β-strand	56-68	13	6
α-helix	70-72	3
β-strand	81-82	2	6
α-helix	85-90	6
β-strand	96-98	3	7
β-strand	101-106	6	6
β-strand	114-118	5	6
β-strand	123-135	13	6
α-helix	143-145	3
β-strand	147-156	10	7
β-strand	164-168	5	6
α-helix	171-173	3
β-strand	175-176	2	6
α-helix	178-180	3
β-strand	186-200	15	7
β-strand	203-216	14	7
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	551-582	32

Chain D: 12 helices, 13 β-strands

Element	Residues	Length	Sheet
α-helix	13-25	13
β-strand	41-56	16	8
β-strand	61-73	13	8
α-helix	75-77	3
β-strand	85-87	3	8
α-helix	90-94	5
β-strand	101-103	3	9
β-strand	106-111	6	8
β-strand	119-124	6	8
β-strand	128-140	13	8
α-helix	148-150	3
β-strand	152-161	10	9
β-strand	169-173	5	8
β-strand	181-183	3	8
β-strand	188	1	8
β-strand	193-207	15	9
β-strand	210-223	14	9
α-helix	226-228	3
α-helix	229-233	5
α-helix	234-245	12
α-helix	246-248	3
α-helix	254-275	22
α-helix	287-315	29
α-helix	321-323	3
α-helix	324-350	27

Chain E: 14 helices, 12 β-strands

Element	Residues	Length	Sheet
α-helix	8-20	13
α-helix	35	1
β-strand	36-51	16	10
β-strand	56-68	13	10
α-helix	70-72	3
β-strand	81-83	3	10
α-helix	85-90	6
β-strand	96-98	3	11
β-strand	101-106	6	10
β-strand	114-118	5	10
β-strand	123-135	13	10
α-helix	140-142	3
β-strand	147-156	10	11
β-strand	164-168	5	10
α-helix	171-173	3
β-strand	175-176	2	10
β-strand	186-200	15	11
β-strand	203-216	14	11
α-helix	217	1
α-helix	219-221	3
α-helix	222-226	5
α-helix	227-236	10
α-helix	237-241	5
α-helix	247-269	23
α-helix	280-306	27
α-helix	553-581	29

Chain P: 3 helices, 10 β-strands

Element	Residues	Length	Sheet
β-strand	2-7	6	12
β-strand	405-413	9	12
α-helix	415-417	3
β-strand	420-426	7	13
β-strand	433-439	7	13
β-strand	445-447	3	13
β-strand	456-460	5	12
β-strand	465-470	6	12
α-helix	475-477	3
β-strand	479-486	8	13
α-helix	496-498	3
β-strand	499-502	4	13
β-strand	506-508	3	13

Molecules and chains

Molecule	Chains	Type	Length	Organism	UniProt
Green fluorescent protein,Gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor subunit alpha-5,Gamma-aminobutyric acid…	A, D	protein	679	Aequorea victoria, Homo sapiens	P31644 (AlphaFold model)
Gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor subunit beta-3,Green fluorescent protein	B, C, E	protein	623	Homo sapiens, Aequorea victoria	P28472 (AlphaFold model), P42212 (AlphaFold model)
Megabody 25	P	protein	541	Escherichia coli

Sequence of entity 1 (A, D), FASTA

>9RL5_1 Green fluorescent protein,Gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor subunit alpha-5,Gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor subunit alpha-5 (chains A, D)
MRKSPGLSDCLWAWILLLSTLTGRSYGQMSKGEELFTGVVPILVELDGDVNGHKFSVRGE
GEGDATNGKLTLKFICTTGKLPVPWPTLVTTLTYGVQCFSRYPDHMKRHDFFKSAMPEGY
VQERTISFKDDGTYKTRAEVKFEGDTLVNRIELKGIDFKEDGNILGHKLEYNFNSHNVYI
TADKQKNGIKANFKIRHNVEDGSVQLADHYQQNTPIGDGPVLLPDNHYLSTQSVLSKDPN
EKRDHMVLLEFVTAAGITHGMDELYKAANALAAWSHPQFEKGGGSGGGSGGGSWSHPQFE
KSSSNNNNNENLYFQAMPTSSVKDETNDNITIFTRILDGLLDGYDNRLRPGLGERITQVR
TDIYVTSFGPVSDTEMEYTIDVFFRQSWKDERLRFKGPMQRLPLNNLLASKIWTPDTFFH
NGKKSIAHNMTTPNKLLRLEDDGTLLYTMRLTISAECPMQLEDFPMDAHACPLKFGSYAY
PNSEVVYVWTNGSTKSVVVAEDGSRLNQYHLMGQTVGTENISTSTGEYTIMTAHFHLKRK
IGYFVIQTYLPCIMTVILSQVSFWLNRESVPARTVFGVTTVLTMTTLSISARNSLPKVAY
ATAMDWFIAVCYAFVFSALIEFATVNYFTKSQPARAASISKIDKMSRIVFPVLFGTFNLV
YWATYLNREPVIKGAASPK

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

>9RL5_2 Gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor subunit beta-3,Green fluorescent protein (chains B, C, E)
MWGLAGGRLFGIFSAPVLVAVVCCAQSVNDPGNMSFVKETVDKLLKGYDIRLRPDFGGPP
VCVGMNIDIASIDMVSEVNMDYTLTMYFQQYWRDKRLAYSGIPLNLTLDNRVADQLWVPD
TYFLNDKKSFVHGVTVKNRMIRLHPDGTVLYGLRITTTAACMMDLRRYPLDEQNCTLEIE
SYGYTTDDIEFYWRGGDKAVTGVERIELPQFSIVEHRLVSRNVVFATGAYPRLSLSFRLK
RNIGYFILQTYMPSILITILSWVSFWINYDASAARVALGITTVLTMTTINTHLRETLPKI
PYVKAIDMYLMGCFVFVFLALLEYAFVNYIFFSQPGRAMVSKGEELFTGVVPILVEMDGD
VNGRKFSVRGVGEGDATHGKLTLKFICTSGKLPVPWPTLVTTLSYGVQCFSRYPDHMKQH
DFFKSAMPEGYVQERTIFFKDDGSYKTRAEVKFEGDTLVNRIVLKGTDFKEDGNILGHKL
EYNMNVGNVYITADKQKNGIKANFEIRHNVEDGGVQLADHYQQNTPIGDGSVLLPDNHYL
SVQVKLSKDPNEKRDHMVLLEFRTAAGITPGMDELYKGRAAAIDRWSRIVFPFTFSLFNL
VYWLYYVNSRENLYFQAHHHHHH

Sequence of entity 3 (P), FASTA

>9RL5_3 Megabody 25 (chains P)
MKKIWLALAGLVLAFSASAQVQLVESGGGLVQTKTTTSVIDTTNDAQNLLTQAQTIVNTL
KDYCPILIAKSSSSNGGTNNANTPSWQTAGGGKNSCATFGAEFSAASDMINNAQKIVQET
QQLSANQPKNITQPHNLNLNSPSSLTALAQKMLKNAQSQAEILKLANQVESDFNKLSSGH
LKDYIGKCDASAISSANMTMQNQKNNWGNGCAGVEETQSLLKTSAADFNNQTPQINQAQN
LANTLIQELGNNTYEQLSRLLTNDNGTNSKTSAQAINQAVNNLNERAKTLAGGTTNSPAY
QATLLALRSVLGLWNSMGYAVICGGYTKSPGENNQKDFHYTDENGNGTTINCGGSTNSNG
THSYNGTNTLKADKNVSLSIEQYEKIHEAYQILSKALKQAGLAPLNSKGEKLEAHVTTSK
YGSLRLSCAASGHTFNYPIMGWFRQAPGKEREFVGAISWSGGSTSYADSVKDRFTISRDN
AKNTVYLEMNNLKPEDTAVYYCAAKGRYSGGLYYPTNYDYWGQGTQVTVSSHHHHHHEPE
A

Ligands and cofactors

ID	Name	Formula	Copies
NAG	2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranose	C8 H15 N O6	1
TOR	[(3aS,5aR,8aR,8bS)-2,2,7,7-tetramethyltetrahydro-3aH-bis[1,3]dioxolo[4,5-b:4',5…	C12 H21 N O8 S	2
ABU	Gamma-amino-butanoic acid	C4 H9 N O2	2

Water and common crystallization additives (EPE) are not listed.

Primary citation

Structural basis for activation and potentiation in a human alpha 5 beta 3 GABA A receptor. Cowgill, J., Fan, C., Steyaert, J. et al. Nat Commun (2026) 17. DOI 10.1038/s41467-026-74279-3 · PubMed

Other PDB entries of the same protein (UniProt P31644 (AlphaFold model), which also has an AlphaFold model), best resolution first:

8BHG 2.39 Å, GABA-A receptor a5 heteromer - a5V2 - Bretazenil
8BHB 2.54 Å, GABA-A receptor a5 homomer - a5V3 - RO154513
8BGI 2.56 Å, GABA-A receptor a5 homomer - a5V1 - Flumazenil
8BHA 2.67 Å, GABA-A receptor a5 homomer - a5V3 - Basmisanil - HR
8BHI 2.67 Å, GABA-A receptor a5 homomer - a5V3 - RO5211223
8BHO 2.93 Å, GABA-A receptor a5 homomer - a5V3 - L655708
8BHM 2.95 Å, GABA-A receptor a5 homomer - a5V3 - DMCM
9HNS 3.1 Å, a5b3 GABAAR bound to GABA and Mb25 in a desensitized state in saposin nanodiscs after…
9RPB 3.1 Å, a5b3 GABAAR bound to GABA, and Mb25 in a desensitized state in saposin nanodiscs,…
9HAA 3.14 Å, a5b3 GABAA Receptor resting state
9HNR 3.17 Å, a5b3 GABAA Receptor in 1 a5 to 4 b3 stoichiometry in desensitized state
5O8F 3.2 Å, Structure of a chimaeric beta3-alpha5 GABAA receptor in complex with nanobody Nb25 and…

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