Cryo-EM structure of human mTOR complex 2

Chen Xizi, Xu Y et al. · 2018 · Cell research · Atlas ID CHE2018

What this study shows

Cryo-EM structure of human mTORC2 defines its subunit organization and substrate access.

Abstract

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Mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) complex 2 (mTORC2) plays an essential role in regulating cell proliferation through phosphorylating AGC protein kinase family members, including AKT, PKC and SGK1. The functional core complex consists of mTOR, mLST8, and two mTORC2-specific components, Rictor and mSin1. Here we investigated the intermolecular interactions within mTORC2 complex and determined its cryo-electron microscopy structure at 4.9 A resolution. The structure reveals a hollow rhombohedral fold with a 2-fold symmetry. The dimerized mTOR serves as a scaffold for the complex assembly.

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At a glance

Evidence type	M Molecular — cells, biochemistry, structure Marked M because it is molecular or in-vitro work (model: Cryo-EM structure) rather than a whole-organism health-outcome study. That is often exactly where causal biology gets established -- the code says which system the finding was shown in, and nothing about how good the work is.
Study type	5 - Mechanistic / In Vitro
Model system	Cryo-EM structure
Journal	Cell research
Year	2018
Peer reviewed	Yes
Record last updated	2026-08-22
Source	DOI 10.1038/s41422-018-0029-3 · PMID 29567957 · Free full text (PMC5951902)

Extracted findings

Intervention	Structural (cryo-EM)
Target	mTORC2 (mTOR/mLST8/Rictor/mSin1)
Model	Cryo-EM structure
Effect	Cryo-EM structure of human mTORC2 reveals intermolecular interactions of Rictor and mSin1

Cite this paper

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Chen Xizi, et al. (2018). Cryo-EM structure of human mTOR complex 2. Cell research. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41422-018-0029-3

@article{CHE2018,
  author       = {Chen Xizi and Xu, Y. and others},
  title        = {{Cryo-EM structure of human mTOR complex 2}},
  journal      = {Cell research},
  year         = {2018},
  doi          = {10.1038/s41422-018-0029-3},
  note         = {PMID: 29567957},
}

Cite this Atlas record

The record is the Atlas's own work — the evidence label, the extracted findings and the links. It is cited as part of the dataset, not as the paper.

Barton, O. (2026). Oliver's mTOR Atlas (record CHE2018) [Data set]. https://mtor-atlas.org/study/CHE2018/ · Dataset DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22059963

@misc{atlas_CHE2018,
  author       = {Barton, Oliver},
  title        = {{Oliver's mTOR Atlas}, record CHE2018},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://mtor-atlas.org/study/CHE2018/},
  doi          = {10.5281/zenodo.22059963}
}