Abstract
The immense potential of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) as targets for drug discovery is not fully realized due to the enormous difficulties associated with structure elucidation of these profoundly unstable membrane proteins. The existing methods of GPCR stability-engineering are cumbersome and low-throughput; in addition, the scope of GPCRs that could benefit from these techniques is limited. Here, we presented a yeast-based screening platform for a single-step isolation of GRCR variants stable in the presence of short-chain detergents, a feature essential for their successful crystallization using vapor diffusion method. The detergent-resistant cell wall of yeast provides a unique compartmentalization opportunity to physically link the receptor phenotype to its encoding DNA, and thus enable discovery of stable GPCR variants with unprecedent efficiency. The scope of mutations identified by the method offers important insights into the structural basis of GPCR stability, questioning the inherent instability of the GPCR scaffold, and revealing the potential role of the C-terminus in receptor stabilization.
Structural basis for conformational switching and GTP loading of the large G protein atlastin
