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Huang Y, Zhang Z, Hattori M. Recent advances in expression screening and sample evaluation for structural studies of membrane proteins. J Mol Biol 2024:168809. [PMID: 39362625 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2024] [Revised: 09/26/2024] [Accepted: 09/27/2024] [Indexed: 10/05/2024]
Abstract
Membrane proteins are involved in numerous biological processes and represent more than half of all drug targets; thus, structural information on these proteins is invaluable. However, the low expression level of membrane proteins, as well as their poor stability in solution and tendency to precipitate and aggregate, are major bottlenecks in the preparation of purified membrane proteins for structural studies. Traditionally, the evaluation of membrane protein constructs for structural studies has been quite time consuming and expensive since it is necessary to express and purify the proteins on a large scale, particularly for X-ray crystallography. The emergence of fluorescence detection size exclusion chromatography (FSEC) has drastically changed this situation, as this method can be used to rapidly evaluate the expression and behavior of membrane proteins on a small scale without the need for purification. FSEC has become the most widely used method for the screening of expression conditions and sample evaluation for membrane proteins, leading to the successful determination of numerous structures. Even in the era of cryo-EM, FSEC and the new generation of FSEC derivative methods are being widely used in various manners to facilitate structural analysis. In addition, the application of FSEC is not limited to structural analysis; this method is also widely used for functional analysis of membrane proteins, including for analysis of oligomerization state, screening of antibodies and ligands, and affinity profiling. This review presents the latest advances and applications in membrane protein expression screening and sample evaluation, with a particular focus on FSEC methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichen Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Ziyi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Motoyuki Hattori
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China.
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Dey D, Qing E, He Y, Chen Y, Jennings B, Cohn W, Singh S, Gakhar L, Schnicker NJ, Pierce BG, Whitelegge JP, Doray B, Orban J, Gallagher T, Hasan SS. A single C-terminal residue controls SARS-CoV-2 spike trafficking and incorporation into VLPs. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8358. [PMID: 38102143 PMCID: PMC10724246 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44076-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2 is delivered to the virion assembly site in the ER-Golgi Intermediate Compartment (ERGIC) from both the ER and cis-Golgi in infected cells. However, the relevance and modulatory mechanism of this bidirectional trafficking are unclear. Here, using structure-function analyses, we show that S incorporation into virus-like particles (VLP) and VLP fusogenicity are determined by coatomer-dependent S delivery from the cis-Golgi and restricted by S-coatomer dissociation. Although S mimicry of the host coatomer-binding dibasic motif ensures retrograde trafficking to the ERGIC, avoidance of the host-like C-terminal acidic residue is critical for S-coatomer dissociation and therefore incorporation into virions or export for cell-cell fusion. Because this C-terminal residue is the key determinant of SARS-CoV-2 assembly and fusogenicity, our work provides a framework for the export of S protein encoded in genetic vaccines for surface display and immune activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debajit Dey
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Enya Qing
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA
| | - Yanan He
- University of Maryland Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Yihong Chen
- University of Maryland Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Benjamin Jennings
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hematology Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Whitaker Cohn
- Pasarow Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, The Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Suruchi Singh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Lokesh Gakhar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
- Protein and Crystallography Facility, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
- PAQ Therapeutics, Burlington, MA, 01803, USA
| | - Nicholas J Schnicker
- Protein and Crystallography Facility, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Brian G Pierce
- University of Maryland Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Julian P Whitelegge
- Pasarow Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, The Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Balraj Doray
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hematology Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - John Orban
- University of Maryland Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Tom Gallagher
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA
| | - S Saif Hasan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
- University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
- Center for Biomolecular Therapeutics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA.
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