High-throughput expression and purification of membrane proteins

J Struct Biol. 2010 Oct;172(1):85-93. doi: 10.1016/j.jsb.2010.03.021. Epub 2010 Apr 13.

Abstract

High-throughput (HT) methodologies have had a tremendous impact on structural biology of soluble proteins. High-resolution structure determination relies on the ability of the macromolecule to form ordered crystals that diffract X-rays. While crystallization remains somewhat empirical, for a given protein, success is proportional to the number of conditions screened and to the number of variants trialed. HT techniques have greatly increased the number of targets that can be trialed and the rate at which these can be produced. In terms of number of structures solved, membrane proteins appear to be lagging many years behind their soluble counterparts. Likewise, HT methodologies for production and characterization of these hydrophobic macromolecules are only now emerging. Presented here is an HT platform designed exclusively for membrane proteins that has processed over 5000 targets.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / isolation & purification
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Detergents / chemistry
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
  • Membrane Proteins / biosynthesis*
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Proteins / isolation & purification*
  • Prokaryotic Cells / metabolism
  • Protein Stability
  • Proteomics / methods
  • Recombinant Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Proteins / isolation & purification
  • Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Detergents
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Recombinant Proteins