Cover Caption

About the cover: Model for the activation of oxytocin receptors. The left panel shows a minimized structure of a constitutively active mutant of the human oxytocin receptor. The right panel shows a model of the interaction between oxytocin and the wild-type receptor, and for comparison the center panel shows a complex between oxytocin and inactive mutant of the receptor. Receptors are depicted as helix ribbon bundles in cross-section through the surface membrane, with the intracellular surface at the top and the extracellular surface at the bottom. The solvent-accessible surfaces are represented by dot-clouds and predict that the activation process involves the opening of a solvent-exposed cytosolic crevice. From Fanelli F, Barbier P, Zanchetta D, de Benedetti PG and Chini B (1999) Activation mechanism of human oxytocin receptor: A combined study of experimental and computer-simulated mutagenesis. Mol Pharmacol 56:214–225.