G-protein-coupled receptor expression and purification

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are integral proteins of the cell membrane and are directly involved in the regulation of many biological functions and in drug targeting. However, our knowledge of GPCRs' structure and function remains limited. The first bottleneck in GPCR studies is producing sufficient quantities of soluble, functional, and stable receptors. Currently, GPCR production largely depends on the choice of the overexpression host system and the type of detergent used to extract the GPCR from the cell membrane and stabilize the protein outside the membrane bilayer. Here, we present three protocols that we employ in our lab to produce and solubilize stable GPCRs by cell-free in vitro translation systems, HEK cells, and Escherichia coli. Stable receptors can be purified using immunoaffinity chromatography and gel filtration and can be analyzed with standard biophysical techniques and biochemical assays.