Efficient production of a functional G protein-coupled receptor in E. coli for structural studies

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are transmembrane signal transducers which regulate many key physiological process. Since their discovery, their analysis has been limited by difficulties in obtaining sufficient amounts of the receptors in high-quality, functional form from heterologous expression hosts. Albeit highly attractive because of its simplicity and the ease of isotope labeling for NMR studies, heterologous expression of functional GPCRs in E. coli has proven particularly challenging due to the absence of the more evolved protein expression and folding machinery of higher eukaryotic hosts. Here we first give an overview on the previous strategies for GPCR E. coli expression and then describe the development of an optimized robust protocol for the E. coli expression and purification of two mutants of the turkey beta(1)-adrenergic receptor (beta(1)AR) uniformly or selectively labeled in N-15 or H-2,N-15. These mutants had been previously optimized for thermal stability using insect cell expression and used successfully in crystallographic and NMR studies. The same sequences were then used for E. coli expression. Optimization of E. coli expression was achieved by a quantitative analysis of losses of receptor material at each step of the solubilization and purification procedure. Final yields are 0.2-0.3 mg receptor per liter culture. Whereas both expressed mutants are well folded and competent for orthosteric ligand binding, the less stable YY-beta(1)AR mutant also comprises the two native tyrosines Y-5.58 and Y-7.53, which enable G protein binding. High-quality H-1-N-15 TROSY spectra were obtained for E. coli-expressed YY-beta(1)AR in three different functional states (antagonist, agonist, and agonist + G protein-mimicking nanobody-bound), which are identical to spectra obtained of the same forms of the receptor expressed in insect cells. NdeI and AgeI restriction sites introduced into the expression plasmid allow for the easy replacement of the receptor gene by other GPCR genes of interest, and the provided quantitative workflow analysis may guide the respective adaptation of the purification protocol.

Automated summary

The study presents strategies for E. coli expression of GPCRs and developed an optimized protocol with quantification of losses in receptor material during solubilization and purification steps, resulting in final yields of 0.2-0.3 mg per liter; High-quality NMR studies were successfully conducted using E. coli-expressed mutants, with similar results to mutants expressed in insect cells.