Stability of solubilized benzodiazepine receptors

According to the observations of other researchers, benzodiazepine receptors solubilized with sodium deoxycholate are unstable, but stability can be improved by exchanging deoxycholate for Triton X-100. In our experiments we conclude that the choice of detergent is not the restrictive factor for the stability of the solubilized receptors, but the storage conditions are. Solubilized receptors, either stored in sodium deoxycholate or in Triton X-100, were stable for at least 2 months when stored at -80 degrees C, but both preparations were strongly unstable when stored at -20 degrees C. Alternatively, sodium deoxycholate-solubilized receptors may be lyophilized and then stored at -20 degrees C.