Molecular recognition of morphine and fentanyl by the human μ-opioid receptor
This paper is pretty badass. It maps different opioids ability to recruit beta arrestin at the mu opioid receptor, and determines the regions of the protein required for that interaction. Finally they make a few fentanyl analogs that do not couple to beta arrestin.While this isn't a definative answer to the question whether beta arrestin is responsible for the negative effects of opioids, the protein level determination and development of new compounds will allow this to be probed accurately in living systems.

Molecular recognition of morphine and fentanyl by the human μ-opioid receptor
Seeing how fentanyl, morphine, and other agonists bind and activate the μOR-Gi complex provides the basis for designing ligands with reduced arrestin signaling.
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