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Luginina A, Maslov I, Khorn P, Volkov O, Khnykin A, Kuzmichev P, Shevtsov M, Belousov A, Kapranov I, Dashevskii D, Kornilov D, Bestsennaia E, Hofkens J, Hendrix J, Gensch T, Cherezov V, Ivanovich V, Mishin A, Borshchevskiy V. Functional GPCR Expression in Eukaryotic LEXSY System. J Mol Biol 2023; 435:168310. [PMID: 37806553 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) form the largest superfamily of membrane proteins in the human genome, and represent one of the most important classes of drug targets. Their structural studies facilitate rational drug discovery. However, atomic structures of only about 20% of human GPCRs have been solved to date. Recombinant production of GPCRs for structural studies at a large scale is challenging due to their low expression levels and stability. Therefore, in this study, we explored the efficacy of the eukaryotic system LEXSY (Leishmania tarentolae) for GPCR production. We selected the human A2A adenosine receptor (A2AAR), as a model protein, expressed it in LEXSY, purified it, and compared with the same receptor produced in insect cells, which is the most popular expression system for structural studies of GPCRs. The A2AAR purified from both expression systems showed similar purity, stability, ligand-induced conformational changes and structural dynamics, with a remarkably higher protein yield in the case of LEXSY expression. Overall, our results suggest that LEXSY is a promising platform for large-scale production of GPCRs for structural studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Luginina
- Research Center for Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, Russia
| | - Ivan Maslov
- Research Center for Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, Russia; Dynamic Bioimaging Lab, Advanced Optical Microscopy Centre, Biomedical Research Institute, Agoralaan C (BIOMED), Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium; Laboratory for Photochemistry and Spectroscopy, Division for Molecular Imaging and Photonics, Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Polina Khorn
- Research Center for Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, Russia
| | | | - Andrey Khnykin
- Research Center for Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, Russia
| | - Pavel Kuzmichev
- Research Center for Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, Russia
| | - Mikhail Shevtsov
- Research Center for Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, Russia
| | - Anatoliy Belousov
- Research Center for Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, Russia
| | - Ivan Kapranov
- Research Center for Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, Russia
| | - Dmitrii Dashevskii
- Research Center for Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, Russia
| | - Daniil Kornilov
- Research Center for Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Bestsennaia
- Research Center for Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, Russia
| | - Johan Hofkens
- Laboratory for Photochemistry and Spectroscopy, Division for Molecular Imaging and Photonics, Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Mainz, Germany
| | - Jelle Hendrix
- Dynamic Bioimaging Lab, Advanced Optical Microscopy Centre, Biomedical Research Institute, Agoralaan C (BIOMED), Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium; Laboratory for Photochemistry and Spectroscopy, Division for Molecular Imaging and Photonics, Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Thomas Gensch
- Laboratory for Photochemistry and Spectroscopy, Division for Molecular Imaging and Photonics, Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Vadim Cherezov
- Bridge Institute, Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Valentin Ivanovich
- Research Center for Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, Russia
| | - Alexey Mishin
- Research Center for Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, Russia
| | - Valentin Borshchevskiy
- Research Center for Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, Russia; Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, Russia.
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Recombinant Expression and Purification of Cannabinoid Receptor CB 2, a G Protein-Coupled Receptor. Methods Mol Biol 2021. [PMID: 34085261 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1221-7_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) are integral membrane proteins that regulate multiple cellular processes. To obtain insights into structural properties of GPCR and mechanism of activity, these proteins should be isolated in significant (milligram) quantities, in a pure, homogenous, and stable form. Here we describe the expression and purification of type II human cannabinoid receptor CB2, a class A GPCR, in two different types of expression hosts: in Escherichia coli and in mammalian suspension cell culture Expi293. Our method allows preparation of milligram quantities of the purified receptors suitable for a wide array of downstream applications including high-resolution structural studies and functional assays.
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Cholesterol as a modulator of cannabinoid receptor CB 2 signaling. Sci Rep 2021; 11:3706. [PMID: 33580091 PMCID: PMC7881127 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83245-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Signaling through integral membrane G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) is influenced by lipid composition of cell membranes. By using novel high affinity ligands of human cannabinoid receptor CB2, we demonstrate that cholesterol increases basal activation levels of the receptor and alters the pharmacological categorization of these ligands. Our results revealed that (2-(6-chloro-2-((2,2,3,3-tetramethylcyclopropane-1-carbonyl)imino)benzo[d]thiazol-3(2H)-yl)ethyl acetate ligand (MRI-2646) acts as a partial agonist of CB2 in membranes devoid of cholesterol and as a neutral antagonist or a partial inverse agonist in cholesterol-containing membranes. The differential effects of a specific ligand on activation of CB2 in different types of membranes may have implications for screening of drug candidates in a search of modulators of GPCR activity. MD simulation suggests that cholesterol exerts an allosteric effect on the intracellular regions of the receptor that interact with the G-protein complex thereby altering the recruitment of G protein.
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Yeliseev A, van den Berg A, Zoubak L, Hines K, Stepnowski S, Williston K, Yan W, Gawrisch K, Zmuda J. Thermostability of a recombinant G protein-coupled receptor expressed at high level in mammalian cell culture. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16805. [PMID: 33033368 PMCID: PMC7546613 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73813-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Rational design of pharmaceutical drugs targeting integral membrane G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) requires thorough understanding of ligand binding and mechanism of activation through high resolution structural studies of purified proteins. Due to inherent conformational flexibility of GPCR, stabilization of these proteins solubilized from cell membranes into detergents is a challenging task. Here, we take advantage of naturally occurring post-translational modifications for stabilization of purified GPCR in detergent micelles. The recombinant cannabinoid CB2 receptor was expressed at high yield in Expi293F mammalian cell cultures, solubilized and purified in Façade detergent. We report superior stability of the mammalian cell-expressed receptor compared to its E.coli-expressed counterpart, due to contributions from glycosylation of the N terminus and palmitoylation of the C terminus of CB2. Finally, we demonstrate that the mammalian Expi293F amino acid labelling kit is suitable for preparation of multi-milligram quantities of high quality, selectively stable isotope-labeled GPCR for studies by nuclear magnetic resonance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexei Yeliseev
- National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
| | | | - Lioudmila Zoubak
- National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Kirk Hines
- National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Sam Stepnowski
- ThermoFisher Scientific, 7335 Executive Way, Frederick, MD, 21704, USA
| | - Kyle Williston
- ThermoFisher Scientific, 7335 Executive Way, Frederick, MD, 21704, USA
| | - Wanhua Yan
- ThermoFisher Scientific, 7335 Executive Way, Frederick, MD, 21704, USA
| | - Klaus Gawrisch
- National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Jonathan Zmuda
- ThermoFisher Scientific, 7335 Executive Way, Frederick, MD, 21704, USA
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Beckner RL, Zoubak L, Hines KG, Gawrisch K, Yeliseev AA. Probing thermostability of detergent-solubilized CB 2 receptor by parallel G protein-activation and ligand-binding assays. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:181-190. [PMID: 31776188 PMCID: PMC6952600 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.010696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Revised: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) comprise a large class of integral membrane proteins involved in the regulation of a broad spectrum of physiological processes and are a major target for pharmaceutical drug development. Structural studies can help advance the rational design of novel specific pharmaceuticals that target GPCRs, but such studies require expression of significant quantities of these proteins in pure, homogenous, and sufficiently stable form. An essential precursor for these structural studies is an assessment of protein stability under experimental conditions. Here we report that solubilization of a GPCR, type II cannabinoid receptor CB2, in a Façade detergent enables radioligand thermostability assessments of this receptor with low background from nonspecific interactions with lipophilic cannabinoid ligand. Furthermore, this detergent is compatible with a [35S]GTPγS radionucleotide exchange assay measuring guanine exchange factor activity that can be applied after heat treatment to further assess receptor thermostability. We demonstrate that both assays can be utilized to determine differences in CB2 thermostability caused by mutations, detergent composition, and the presence of stabilizing ligands. We report that a constitutively active CB2 variant has higher thermostability than the WT receptor, a result that differs from a previous thermostability assessment of the analogous CB1 mutation. We conclude that both ligand-binding and activity-based assays under optimized detergent conditions can support selection of thermostable variants of experimentally demanding GPCRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan L Beckner
- NIAAA, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 208521
| | | | - Kirk G Hines
- NIAAA, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 208521
| | - Klaus Gawrisch
- NIAAA, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 208521
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Yeliseev A, Zoubak L, Schmidt TGM. Application of Strep-Tactin XT for affinity purification of Twin-Strep-tagged CB 2, a G protein-coupled cannabinoid receptor. Protein Expr Purif 2017; 131:109-118. [PMID: 27867058 PMCID: PMC5406253 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2016.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2016] [Revised: 11/02/2016] [Accepted: 11/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Human cannabinoid receptor CB2 belongs to the class A of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). CB2 is predominantly expressed in membranes of cells of immune origin and is implicated in regulation of metabolic pathways of inflammation, neurodegenerative disorders and pain sensing. High resolution structural studies of CB2 require milligram quantities of purified, structurally intact protein. While we previously reported on the methodology for expression of the recombinant CB2 and its stabilization in a functional state, here we describe an efficient protocol for purification of this protein using the Twin-Strep-tag/Strep-Tactin XT system. To improve the affinity of interaction of the recombinant CB2 with the resin, the double repeat of the Strep-tag (a sequence of eight amino acids WSHPQFEK), named the Twin-Strep-tag was attached either to the N- or C-terminus of CB2 via a short linker, and the recombinant protein was expressed in cytoplasmic membranes of E. coli as a fusion with the N-terminal maltose binding protein (MBP). The CB2 was isolated at high purity from dilute solutions containing high concentrations of detergents, glycerol and salts, by capturing onto the Strep-Tactin XT resin, and was eluted from the resin under mild conditions upon addition of biotin. Surface plasmon resonance studies performed on the purified protein demonstrate the high affinity of interaction between the Twin-Strep-tag fused to the CB2 and Strep-Tactin XT with an estimated Kd in the low nanomolar range. The affinity of binding did not vary significantly in response to the position of the tag at either N- or C-termini of the fusion. The binding capacity of the resin was several-fold higher for the tag located at the N-terminus of the protein as opposed to the C-terminus- or middle of the fusion. The variation in the length of the linker between the double repeats of the Strep-tag from 6 to 12 amino acid residues did not significantly affect the binding. The novel purification protocol reported here enables efficient isolation of a recombinant GPCR expressed at low titers in host cells. This procedure is suitable for preparation of milligram quantities of stable isotope-labelled receptor for high-resolution NMR studies.
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MESH Headings
- Chromatography, Affinity/methods
- Escherichia coli
- Gene Expression
- Humans
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2/biosynthesis
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2/chemistry
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2/genetics
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2/isolation & purification
- Recombinant Fusion Proteins/biosynthesis
- Recombinant Fusion Proteins/chemistry
- Recombinant Fusion Proteins/genetics
- Recombinant Fusion Proteins/isolation & purification
- Surface Plasmon Resonance
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexei Yeliseev
- National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, National Institutes of Health, 5625 Fishers Lane, Room 3N17, Rockville, MD, 20892, USA.
| | - Lioudmila Zoubak
- National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, National Institutes of Health, 5625 Fishers Lane, Room 3N17, Rockville, MD, 20892, USA
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Abstract
The large-scale production of recombinant G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) is one of the major bottlenecks that hamper functional and structural studies of this important class of integral membrane proteins. Heterologous overexpression of GPCRs often results in low yields of active protein, usually due to a combination of several factors, such as low expression levels, protein insolubility, host cell toxicity, and the need to use harsh and often denaturing detergents (e.g., SDS, LDAO, OG, and DDM, among others) to extract the recombinant receptor from the host cell membrane. Many of these problematic issues are inherently linked to cell-based expression systems and can therefore be circumvented by the use of cell-free systems. In this unit, we provide a range of protocols for the production of GPCRs in a cell-free expression system. Using this system, we typically obtain GPCR expression levels of ∼1 mg per ml of reaction mixture in the continuous-exchange configuration. Although the protocols in this unit have been optimized for the cell-free expression of GPCRs, they should provide a good starting point for the production of other classes of membrane proteins, such as ion channels, aquaporins, carrier proteins, membrane-bound enzymes, and even large molecular complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Segers
- VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology (VIB), Leuven, Belgium.,Structural Biology Group, Biologics Research Europe, Janssen Research & Development, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Stefan Masure
- Structural Biology Group, Biologics Research Europe, Janssen Research & Development, Beerse, Belgium
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