Cotranslational assembly of membrane protein/nanoparticles in cell-free systems

Nanoparticles composed of amphiphilic scaffold proteins and small lipid bilayers are valuable tools for reconstitution and subsequent functional and structural characterization of membrane proteins. In combination with cell-free protein production systems, nanoparticles can be used to cotranslationally and translocon independently insert membrane proteins into tailored lipid environments. This strategy enables rapid generation of protein/nanoparticle complexes by avoiding detergent contact of nascent membrane proteins. Frequently in use are nanoparticles assembled with engineered derivatives of either the membrane scaffold protein (MSP) or the Saposin A (SapA) scaffold. Furthermore, several strategies for the formation of membrane protein/nanoparticle complexes in cell-free reactions exist. However, it is unknown how these strategies affect functional folding, oligomeric assembly and membrane insertion efficiency of cell-free synthesized membrane proteins. We systematically studied membrane protein insertion efficiency and sample quality of cell-free synthesized proteorhodopsin (PR) which was cotranslationally inserted in MSP and SapA based nanoparticles. Three possible PR/nanoparticle formation strategies were analyzed: (i) PR integration into supplied preassembled nanoparticles, (ii) coassembly of nanoparticles from supplied scaffold proteins and lipids upon PR expression, and (iii) coexpression of scaffold proteins together with PR in presence of supplied lipids. Yield, homogeneity as well as the formation of higher PR oligomeric complexes from samples generated by the three strategies were analyzed. Conditions found optimal for PR were applied for the synthesis of a G-protein coupled receptor. The study gives a comprehensive guideline for the rapid synthesis of membrane protein/nanoparticle samples by different processes and identifies key parameters to modulate sample yield and quality.

Facile production of tagless membrane scaffold protein for nanodiscs

The initial step in the preparation of nanodiscs is to express and purify the membrane scaffold protein (MSP) to homogeneity. Current methods used for the isolation and purification of MSP utilize nickel affinity chromatography. However, the presence of a polyhistidine tag on the MSP often interferes with downstream steps where nanodiscs reconstituted with protein need to be isolated from empty ones. Therefore, one must engage in the finicky process of removing the polyhistidine tag from the MSP using a protease before the formation of nanodiscs. Herein, we describe a robust streamlined approach to produce tagless MSP by expression as inclusion bodies followed by cleavage with cyanogen bromide, and purification by gel filtration chromatography. In addition, the MSP prepared is devoid of tryptophan residues which facilitates tryptophan-based spectroscopic studies of reconstituted proteins. Dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy showed that the tagless MSP produced was competent to produce nanodiscs.

Dark, Ultra-Dark and Ultra-Bright Nanodiscs for membrane protein investigations

We describe the construction, expression and purification of three new membrane scaffold proteins (MSP) for use in assembling Nanodiscs. These new MSPs have a variety of luminescent properties for use in combination with several analytical methods. "Dark" MSP has no tryptophan residues, "Ultra-Dark" replaces both tryptophan and tyrosine with non-fluorescent side chains, and "Ultra-Bright" adds additional tryptophans to the parent membrane scaffold protein to provide a dramatic increase in native tryptophan fluorescence. All MSPs were used to successfully assemble Nanodiscs nominally 10 nm in diameter, and the resultant bilayer structure was characterized. An example of the usefulness of these new scaffold proteins is provided.

Time-course and degradation rate of membrane scaffold protein (MSP1D1) during recombinant production

•

Relevant efficiency parameters, productivities and production rates for recombinant MSP1D1 are presented for the first time.

•

Time-course of MSP1D1 concentration was quantified post-induction in comparison to a reference protein.

•

Calculation of specific production rates confirm that degradation is the reason for decreased yields during MSP1D1 expression.

Membrane scaffold proteins (MSPs) are synthetic derivatives of apolipoprotein A-I, a major protein component of human high-density lipoprotein complexes. The most common among these is the variant MSP1D1, which has been in the focus of research on membrane mimetics in the past. As such, the amphipathic MSP1D1 has the ability to self-assemble in the presence of synthetic phospholipids into discoidal nanoparticles, so called nanodiscs. The recombinant production of MSP is exclusively reported using a standard laboratory expression system of the pET family. However, strong variations in both yield and achieved concentration as well as complications related to unspecific degradation are commonly reported. In addition, the time-course of recombinant protein as well as specific protein yields have not yet been quantified conclusively. In this study, the time-course of MSP1D1 concentration was investigated in a standard pET expression system in terms of quantification of production and degradation rates in comparison to a reference protein (eGFP).

Surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy for characterisation of membrane protein-ligand interactions and its potential for drug discovery

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy is a rapidly developing technique for the study of ligand binding interactions with membrane proteins, which are the major molecular targets for validated drugs and for current and foreseeable drug discovery. SPR is label-free and capable of measuring real-time quantitative binding affinities and kinetics for membrane proteins interacting with ligand molecules using relatively small quantities of materials and has potential to be medium-throughput. The conventional SPR technique requires one binding component to be immobilised on a sensor chip whilst the other binding component in solution is flowed over the sensor surface; a binding interaction is detected using an optical method that measures small changes in refractive index at the sensor surface. This review first describes the basic SPR experiment and the challenges that have to be considered for performing SPR experiments that measure membrane protein-ligand binding interactions, most importantly having the membrane protein in a lipid or detergent environment that retains its native structure and activity. It then describes a wide-range of membrane protein systems for which ligand binding interactions have been characterised using SPR, including the major drug targets G protein-coupled receptors, and how challenges have been overcome for achieving this. Finally it describes some recent advances in SPR-based technology and future potential of the technique to screen ligand binding in the discovery of drugs. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Structural and biophysical characterisation of membrane protein-ligand binding.