Membrane Protein Isolation and Purification
Membrane proteins are localized in cellular membranes, including receptors, transporters, ion channels, adhesion proteins, etc. In biological process, membrane proteins play a fundamental role in cell-cell communication, signal transduction and the molecular transport of ions and solutes. Based on secondary structure, membrane proteins can be classified into proteins of α-helical or β-barrel architecture, and partly contain one or more hydrophobic regions known as transmembrane helices as well as hydrophilic domains.
Membrane proteins have been reported to be involved in many important human diseases, and more than 60% of membrane proteins are drug targets. Therefore, studying the biology of membrane proteins is crucial for elucidating the molecular mechanisms of disease and uncovering new therapeutic avenues.
Nowadays, a set of methods and theories exist for the isolation and purification of water-soluble proteins. However, purifying membrane proteins can be quite challenging, and researchers need to be extra careful. Most membrane proteins are bound to the cell membrane, stabilizing them in their native form requires finding a suitable medium to perform the same role as the cell membrane. Therefore, during the experiment, the unwanted folding and aggregation of membrane proteins frequently occur, resulting in a sharp drop in yield and damage to protein structure and function.
Figure 1. Detergent-based membrane protein isolation
Our Services
Profacgen has established a comprehensive membrane protein platform that can provide methods to enrich and purify membrane proteins, including detergent-based membrane protein isolation and other mimetic membrane systems. With a deep understanding of solvent-protein molecular interactions, together with more than 100 different solubilization agents available, Profacgen has extensive experience in membrane protein isolation and purification, such as GPCRs, ion channels, transporters, membrane enzymes and membrane fusion proteins.
Our experts will design experiments according to the characteristics of the target protein, including the screening of detergent or mimetic membrane system, the combination of detergents, the change of extraction time, temperature, and method, the screening of additives, and the selection of purification methods (affinity chromatography, ion exchange chromatography, gel filtration/size exclusion, etc.). Gel-based or gel-free high-throughput analytical QC control ensures that the final product can meet customer standards.
Whether the target membrane protein is tagged, single or multi-pass transmembrane, single-protein or large-protein complex, we can perform small- or industrial-scale protein isolation and purification. On this research platform, customers can always find the optimal solution.
Profacgen has accumulated lots of experience in membrane protein isolation and purification. Our experienced scientists, well-validated technology platforms and state-of-the-art facilities guarantee our high-quality services. Our competitive prices and extensive expertise have earned us the trust of our collaborators. Contact us to find out how Profacgen could be of assistance.
References
- Vuckovic, D.; et al. Membrane proteomics by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry: Analytical approaches and challenges. Proteomics. 2013.
- Thomas Arnold, Dirk Linke. Phase separation in the isolation and purification of membrane proteins. Biotechniques. 2018.