Abstract
Research in the field of membrane proteins has undergone explosive growth during the last decade, primarily owing to the influence of the powerful techniques of modern molecular biology. Membrane proteins fulfill essential functions, such as communication, selective transport of metabolites and ions, and energy transformation. It is estimated that one-third of the genes of an organism encode integral membrane proteins (1). We are just now beginning to understand the molecular structures of this group of proteins and how they function within the confines of the cellular membranes. Among the different families of membrane proteins, the so-called G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) comprise the largest family. From the viewpoint of pharmacology, this family is of great importance, since about 60% of all pharmaceuticals known today mediate their effects via interaction with GPCRs. Therefore, much progress has been made in the characterization of the pharmacological and biochemical properties, as well as the signal transduction mechanisms of the GPCRs. Nevertheless, in order to understand the function and molecular dynamics of these receptors, detailed structural information will be needed. Despite the steady progress in understanding of GPCRs, solid three-dimensional (3D) structural data are still missing. To date, the crystallization and 3D determination have been successfully performed on only a handful of membrane proteins. All these structural determinations were performed on membrane proteins that are naturally highly expressed and can be purified in large quantities from their natural sources.
References
Schatz, G and Dobberstein, B. (1996) Common principles of protein translocation across membranes. Science 271, 1519–1526.
Plassat, J. L., Boschert, U., Amlaiky, N., and Hen, R. (1992) The mouse 5-HT5 receptor reveals a remarkable heterogeneity within the 5HT1D receptor family. EMBO J. 11, 4779–4786.
Matthes, H., Boschert, U., Amlaiky, N, Grailhe, R., Plassat, J. L., Muscatelli, F, Mattei, M. G., and Hen, R. (1992) Mouse 5-hydroxytryptamine5A and 5-hydroxytryptamine5B receptors define a new family of serotonin receptors: cloning, functional expression, and chromosomal localization. Mol. Pharmacol. 43, 313–319.
Weiß, H. M., Haase, W., Michel, H., and Reiländer, H. (1995) Expression of functional mouse 5-HT5A serotonin receptor in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris: pharmacological characterization and localization. FEBS Lett. 377, 451–456.
Sander, P., Grünewald, S., Bach, M., Haase, W., Reiländer, H., and Michel, H. (1994) Heterologous expression of the human D2S dopamine receptor in protease-deficient Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains. Eur. J. Biochem. 226, 697–705.
Wang, J.-X., Yamamura, H. I., Wang, W., and Roeske, W R. (1992) The use of the filtration technique in in vitro radioligand binding assays for membrane-bound and solubilized receptors, in Receptor-Ligand Interactions: A Practical Approach (Hulme, E. C, ed.), IRL, Oxford, pp. 213–234.
Hulme, E. C. and Birdsall, N. J. M. (1992) Strategy and tactics in receptor-binding studies, in Receptor-Ligand Interactions: A Practical Approach (Hulme, E. C, ed.), IRL, Oxford, pp. 63–176.
Hulme, E. C. and Birdsall, N. J. M. (1992) Receptor preparations for binding studies, in Receptor-Ligand Interactions: A Practical Approach (Hulme, E. C, ed.), IRL, Oxford, pp. 177–212.
Ausubel, F. M., Brent, R., Kingston, R. E., Moore, D. D., Smith, J. A., Seidman, J. G., and Struhl, K. (1989) Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Wiley, New York.
Romanos, M. (1995) Advances in the use of Pichia pastoris for high-level gene expression. Curr. Opin. Biotechnol. 6, 527–533.
Weiß, M., Haase, W, Michel, H., and Reilånder, H. (1998) Comparative biochemical and pharmacological characterization of the mouse 5HT5A serotonin receptor and the human β2 adrenergic receptor produced in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris. Biochem. J., in press.
Scorer, C. A., Clare, J. J., McCombie, W. R., Romanos, M. A., and Sreekrishna, K. (1994) Rapid selection using G418 of high copy number transformants of Pichia pastoris for high-level foreign gene expression. Biotechnology 12, 181–184.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1998 Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ
About this protocol
Cite this protocol
Weiß, H.M., Haase, W., Reiländer, H. (1998). Expression of an Integral Membrane Protein, the 5HT5A Receptor. In: Higgins, D.R., Cregg, J.M. (eds) Pichia Protocols. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 103. Humana, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1385/0-89603-421-6:227
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/0-89603-421-6:227
Publisher Name: Humana, Totowa, NJ
Print ISBN: 978-0-89603-421-1
Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-578-5
eBook Packages: Springer Protocols