Present Position and Address

301 University Blvd.
Dept. Physiology & Biophysics
Mail Route:0437
Telephone: (409)
Fax: (409)
Email: jnavarro@utmb.edu

Ph.D. - Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA

RESEARCH INTERESTS:

Our work focuses on elucidating the molecular mechanism of G protein-coupled receptors. These are seven-helix transmembrane receptors acting as detectors of signals including odor, light, hormones, neurotransmitters, and as mediators for the entry of HIV-1. Genes encoding these receptors occupy a hefty 3% of the human genome. Of importance is that these receptors are the target of about 60% of drugs used to treat human diseases. In my laboratory we are applying X-ray crystallography to elucidate the atomic structure of seven-helix transmembrane receptors. Genetic and biophysical approaches are also applied to determine the role of specific domains on the function of these receptors. Our work is carried out in the Membrane Protein Laboratory (MPL), a facility co-directed by Drs. Ehud Landau and Javier Navarro.

1. Hayashi, S., Tajkhorshid, E., Pebay-Peyroula, E., Royant, A., Landau, E.M., Navarro, J. and Schulten, K. Structural determinants of spectral tuning in the Rhodopsin family of proteins. J. Phys. Chem. B. 105:10124, 2001.
2. Royant, A., Nollert, P., Edman, K., Neutze, R., Landau, E.M., Pebay-Peyroula, E., and Navarro, J. X-ray structure of sensory rhodopsin II at 2.1 Å resolution. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 98:10131, 2001.
3. Campos, D.M. Reyes, C.E., Sarmiento, J., Navarro, J., and González, C.G. Polarized expression of the GFP-tagged rat V1a vasopressin receptor. Biochem. Biophy. Res. Commun. 289:325-328, 2001.
4. Nollert, P., Navarro, J., Landau, E.M. Crystallization of membrane proteins in cubo. IN: G Protein Pathways. R. Iyengar and J.D. Hildebrandt (eds). Methods in Enzymology, Academic Press, San Diego, 343:183-199, 2001.
5. Navarro, J., Landau, E.M. and Fahmy, K. Receptor-dependent G Protein activation in a lipidic cubic phase Biopolymers 67:167-177, 2002.
6. Edman, K., Royant, A., Nollert, P., Maxwell, C.A., Pebay-Peyroula, E., Navarro, J., Neutze, R., and Landau, E.M. Early structural rearrangements in the photocycle of a sensory receptor. Structure (Camb) 10:473-483, 2002.
7. Okada, T., Fujiyoshi, Y., Silow, M., Navarro, J., Landau, E.M.,and Yoshinori, S. Functional role of internal water molecules in rhodopsin revealed by x-ray crystallography. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 99:5982-5987, 2002.
8. Suetomi, K., Rojo, D., and Navarro, J. Identification of a signal transduction switch in the chemokine receptor CXCR1. J. Biol. Chem. 277:31563-31566, 2002.
9. Neutze, R., Pebay-Peyroula, E., Edman, K., Royant, A., Navarro, J. and Landau, E.M. Membrane Protein Structure: Bacteriorhodopsin: a high resolution structural view of vectorial proton transport. BBA. Biomembranes 1565:144-167, 2002.
10. Pebay-Peyroula, E., Neutze, R., and Landau, E.M. and Navarro, J. Membrane Protein Structure: Structural Basis of Signaling Mediated by Sensory Rhodopsins. BBA Biomembranes 1565:196-205, 2002.