Lipidic cubic phase injector facilitates membrane protein serial femtosecond crystallography

Nat Commun. 2014:5:3309. doi: 10.1038/ncomms4309.

Abstract

Lipidic cubic phase (LCP) crystallization has proven successful for high-resolution structure determination of challenging membrane proteins. Here we present a technique for extruding gel-like LCP with embedded membrane protein microcrystals, providing a continuously renewed source of material for serial femtosecond crystallography. Data collected from sub-10-μm-sized crystals produced with less than 0.5 mg of purified protein yield structural insights regarding cyclopamine binding to the Smoothened receptor.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Crystallography / methods*
  • Lipids / chemistry*
  • Membrane Proteins / chemistry*
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / genetics
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / metabolism

Substances

  • Lipids
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled

Associated data

  • PDB/4O9R